102 Transactions. 



of clay and gravel was laid until it was raised to the required height, on 

 which the houses were then erected, and the pa surrounded with the usual 

 fence. The only approach being by canoe they were secure from any sudden 

 attack. Rauparaha and his tribe took them. Such a dread of that redoubted 

 warrior seized their inhabitants that when they saw his fleet approaching they 

 lost no time in making their escape to the surrounding forest. Rauparaha 

 landed and burnt them all. This was about the year 1825. 



These lake villages difier from the Swiss ones, which were built upon 

 platforms resting on posts driven into the lake, and connected with the shore 

 by a pier, having a rude drawbridge in the centre, which could be drawn up 

 at night, or on the approach of an enemy, but the crannogues of the Irish 

 lakes, on the contrary, were artificial islands closely resembling in their 

 construction those of the Horowhenua Lake. They were formed by sinking 

 beams and logs, and then erecting walls of large stones upon them, filling up 

 the centre with stones and clay. This was by no means an uncommon mode 

 of defence amongst the Maoris. In the Papaetonga, a neighbouring lake to 

 that of Horowhenua, there were two pas of a similar kind. On Motutaiko, a 

 small island in the centre of Taupo Lake, there was a formidable pa, to which 

 there was only one landing place, and that was strongly defended. Another 

 existed on an island in Rotokakahi Lake, and perhaps the most celebrated of 

 all was that of Mokoia, in the centre of Rotorua Lake, where their most 

 venerated idols were kept, and the only resemblance of a temple found ; there 

 also their greatest warriors were buried. 



Probably the idea of making artificial islands for defence may have 

 originated from these natural islands being used for that purpose. 



Art. Y. — A Description of the Earnsclough Moa Cave. By the Hon. Captain 



Eraser, F.KG.S. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 4dh September, 1872.] 



This cave was accidentally discovered by a young lad named Weir, who was 

 taking a short cut to his father's claim. 



The boy mentioned the discovery to his father, who visited the cave, and 

 carried away with him that which he considered the most interesting object. 

 This he sold to Dr. Thomson, of Clyde. I allude to the skin-covered neck of 

 the Moa, which is at present on exhibition in the Colonial Museum. I was 

 in Dunedin when I heard of the discovery, and it was my intention to have 

 made an exhaustive examination of the cave, which is on a run in which I 

 have an interest, but, unfortunately, before I arrived at Earnsclough, Mr. 

 Arthur, surveyor, and Dr. Thomson, of Clyde, made a razzia on the cave, and 



