08 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



course, no means of judging of the age of the kitchen middens of the shell-fish 

 eaters, but it is evident that they are not of recent origin, if we take their 

 position and contents into account. In fact, I believe them to be the equivalents 

 of similar beds near the Sumner Cave, and which the natives themselves 

 assign to the Waitaha, the remotest Maori occupation. On geological evidence 

 alone the kitchen middens of the Moa-hunting population at Shag Point must 

 therefore be pronounced to be of considerable antiquity. 



Art. Y. — On the Identity of the Moa-hunters with the 2^'esent Maoon Race. 

 By Alexander McKay, of the Geological Survey Department. 



[Read before the WeUi7igton Philosophical Society, Sth August, 1S74.] 



During the spring of 1872, under the direction of Dr. Haast, of Christchurch, 

 I excavated what is known as Moa-bone Cave, which is situated about seven 

 miles from Christchurch, on the Christchurch and Sumner Road; the object 

 of the excavation being to procure further information relative to the associa- 

 tion of Moa-bones with the remains of the former human inhabitants of the 

 cave. On the completion of the work I supplied Dr. Haast with a report 

 embodying the main facts collected during the progress of the excavation, 

 together with ample collections of the various relics found. My present paper 

 is but an amplification of the report mentioned, with the addition of my own 

 views respecting the matter at issue, viz. : — Whether the Moa-hunters were 

 possessed of tools other than those of the rudest description ; and whether this 

 constituted a distinction between them and the Maori inhabitants of later 

 times? 



With these objects in view work was commenced on 3rd October, and was 

 continued for the following seven weeks, during which period the entire cave 

 and a considerable area outside was turned over. 



The cave is situated in a low spur of the volcanic range just opposite the 

 junction of the Avon and Heathcote rivers, the mouth of the cave looking 

 north-west, and facing the estuary of the two rivers. The cave itself results 

 from the excavation by the sea of an old soil and other loose material between 

 the two compact streams of lava rock, and it consists of three separate 

 chambers in a nearly straight line from the entrance. 



The outer cave is by far the largest. It measures 100 feet in length, 74 

 feet at its greatest width, and varies in height from 12 to 25 feet. The walls 

 are for the most part nearly vertical, the roof jagged and uneven, as its varying 



