HuTTON. — On the Moas of Neto Zealand. 163 



"W. H. Eoberts that the moa was "a very swift bird on foot, 

 and could outrun a horse easily, its miniature wings helping it 

 considerably;" and that they used to steal children."- Also 

 the story of the man-eating bird of the forests of the South 

 Island mentioned by Mr. Polack. 



No one knows the Maoris of the South Island better than 

 the Eev. J. W. Stack and the Eev. J. F. Wohlers, and yet 

 neither of them ever heard of these legends. Mr. Stack says, 

 "TheNgaitahu have occupied this [South] Island for about 

 ten generations. x\llowing twenty-five years for a generation, 

 their occupation dates back two hundred and fifty years. In 

 none of the traditions relating to this period, though numerous 

 and detailed, are there any allusions to the moa."f Mr. 

 Wohlers has published a number of southern Maori tales, | 

 collected more than forty years ago, " when there were still 

 a few Maoris alive who were acquainted with their ancient 

 lore;" and, although whales, seals, dogs, rats, owls, tuis, 

 pigeons, herons, eels, and other animals are mentioned, the 

 word " moa " does not once occur. However, we find here the 

 legend of the man-eating bird. Two strangers arrived from 

 Hawaiki and taught the natives how to make fire and cook 

 their food. The natives told the strangers that they were suf- 

 fering from a monstrous bird which ate people. "The strangers 

 asked if the direction the bird used to take was known. 'Yes,' 

 was the reply, ' and, if some of us go that way when the 

 bird happens to come, he gobbles us up.' Having learned 

 this they werLt to the haunts of the bird and erected a sort of 

 blockhouse, having only one small opening at some height 

 from the ground, into which they jumped, and then waited for 

 the appearance of the bird. After some time they saw it com- 

 ing. The body was still at a distance when the laead reached 

 their little fortress. The bird came nearer and raised its huge 

 beak towards the opening where the men stood, but the throw 

 of a heavy axe from the men broke one of its wings. Again 

 it raised its beak, and again an axe broke its other wing. 

 Then the men jumped down and killed it. After that they 

 went to its cave, and found there a heap of human bones." § 

 Every one will, I think, allow that this very ancient legend 

 was not recited or even composed by men who had a personal 

 knowledge of the moa. There is also a story of catching a 

 bird by putting a rope over the entrance to the cave in which 

 the bird was living.!] This may be the origin of Whera's 



* Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. vii. p. 548. 

 t Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. iv., p. 107. 



I Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. vii., p. 3, and vol, viii., p. 108. 

 § Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. viii., p. 109. 



II L.c, vol. vii., p. 22. 



