Art. V.—The Newly-opened Cave near Sumner. By John Meeson, B.A. [Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 3rd October, 1889.] Plates I. and II. In accordance with a suggestion thrown out at our last meeting that some authentic particulars should be gathered respecting the cave recently discovered on the road to Sumner, Mr. H. O. Forbes, as representing the Museum authorities, and myself, as representing this society, made a preliminary visit of inspection on the 10th September last. My coadjutor is at present very fully occupied with official work and alterations at the Museum, so it has been agreed between us that I am to write a general description of the cave and its contents, giving some account of its whereabouts, geology, and discovery, while he will supplement my remarks with notes on the bones found, some of which seem to be probably of a new species of Natatores. I must mention that Mr. Monck, the proprietor of the ground on which the cave stands, when we introduced ourselves to him and stated our object, showed us great civility, and assisted us as far as he could in the work of investigation. He exhibited to us everything that he had obtained from the spot in the way of bones, implements, and other remains, and very liberally handed over to us for further examination and future deposit in the Museum such of these as we found to be the most interesting. He also gave us an account of all that he had done or knew about the discovery of the cave, and offered to facilitate its more complete exploration if funds were provided for such a work and it should be thought desirable. It is perhaps to be regretted that action was not taken in the matter, either by our society or the Museum authorities, a little earlier, because there are some questions—in connection with the date at which the moa became extinct, the people who were in the habit of hunting it, the customs, food, and utensils of the native tribes who successively used the cave as one of their dwelling-places, and the flora and fauna existing here at the period when it was known and frequented—that a careful examination of the different layers of deposit, under the direction of a scientific mind, might have materially helped to solve. It is not by any means too late yet to do something in the matter; and I am glad to say that a small sum has been already placed at the disposal of Mr. Forbes for the purpose of systematic digging and search.