HuTTON AND CouGHTREY — On the EarnscUuglh Cave. 139 



inclination of tLe cave is rather steep, averaging perhaps 1 in 3 from the 

 entrance to the extremity. The floor is filled to a considerable depth with 

 fine micaceous sand, derived from the decomposition of the mica-schist rocks 

 in the district, and it appears to be gradually filling up. 



It is only in the upper part of the cave, near the entrance, and in the 

 talus formed at the entrance by the debris fallen from above, that remains 

 of Dinornis and Cnemiornis have been found, while the extremity of the 

 cave contained a considerable number of bones of a duck,* belonging 

 apparently to an extinct genus, together with its nests and eggs, and also a 

 few bones of parrots, hawks, and other small birds which have not yet been 

 examined. With these were also remains of rats, the tuatara {Sphenodon 

 2yunGtatum), and fragments of the egg-shell of the Moa and the jaw of a 

 pleurodont lizard. A few of the wing bones of the duck still retain portions 

 of skin and feathers attached to them, and many of both wing and leg bones 

 are gnawed half through by rats. A portion of the skin of a rat was also 

 found, but without any hair on it. This rat's skin, as well as the wing of the 

 duck with skin attached was found under several inches of sand, and indeed I 

 am not aware that any were found on the surface of the floor. In fact, the 

 whole of these bones were mixed together in such a way as to lead to the 

 conclusion that the rat and the duck were contemporaneous. 



It may, I think, be taken as certain that the rocks on either side of the 

 cave have not moved since the bones were deposited in it, and I quite agree 

 with Dr. Thomson and Mr. Hood that the cave was never inhabited either by 

 man or by the Moa. The ducks, however, must have lived in it, as they built 

 their nests and laid their eggs there, and probably rats and the tuatara lived 

 with them. I also agree with Captain Fraser that no storm water could have 

 washed the Moa remains into the cave, and think that Mr. Hood's suggestion 

 that the birds fell in accidentally and were unable to extricate themselves is 

 the only possible explanation of the facts. The bones of the parrots and 

 smaller birds may perhaps have been taken in by the rats. 



I have already remarked that the cave is gradually filling up, owing to its 

 steep inclination, and the fact that it is not yet filled up shows that its origin 

 cannot date back for a very long period of time. The fact of the rats having 

 gnawed the bones of the ducks shows that they were omnivorous, and there- 

 fore probably the brown rat (^Mus decumanus), but it may be possible to 

 determine this from the remains that they have left behind them, which are 

 not, however, very numerous. The brown rat may have been introduced into 

 this province by the whalers in the early part of this century, but it certainly 



* This duck is about the size of Anas superciliosa. It has heavy legs, comparatively 

 small wings, but with a well-developed keel to its sternu n, and a remarkably short bill. 

 The egg is ovoid and measures 2 '6 inches in length by 1"75 inches in breadth. 



