Hamilton. — On a Discovery of Moa-honcs. 317 



the water in the lake, and the laying-bare of the whole of the 

 winding lagoon, which was then seen to consist of a matted 

 network of forest-roots and timber, together with innumerable 

 seeds of hinau and manuka. 



Lying on and among the roots were quantities of bones, 

 which the foreman of the works, Mr. Pickett, carefully col- 

 lected for me, and which prove of surpassing interest. 



The bones were, as in the former case, nearly all in one 

 small area, and, strange to say, just at the foot of a spur, as 

 in the first find ; but here they were lying on the surface, and 

 were in a most wonderful state of preservation, young and old, 

 great and small. One bone, an immature tibia, measures 

 35^in. The bones of the moas are in, as I said, a wonderful 

 state of preservation ; but by far the most interesting are the 

 small bones which have been disclosed by this lowering of the 

 water. 



Although my identifications are not yet complete, I have 

 got bones of the great extinct goose — the Cneviiornis — a breast- 

 bone quite perfect, the bones of the legs, and some of the wing- 

 bones. In general, these bones are smaller than those found 

 in the South Island. 



Of the great extinct eagle {Harpagornis) I have several 

 bones — amongst others an ungual phalanx, or claw-bone, and 

 several tibiae. This is extremely interesting, as I did not 

 meet with tliis species in the other deposit. 



The next treasure is a perfect lower mandible of Notornis. 

 This gigantic rail can therefore be undoubtedly added to our 

 list of Te Ante birds. I show you the life-sized drawing made 

 from the specimen obtained by Mr. Mantell, now stuffed, and 

 placed m the British Museum. 



Many other bones occur, which I have not yet been able to 

 recognise. There are three or four tibiae (immature) of a large 

 wading-bird as large as our white heron, or kotuku. 



At the time of my visit the spot itself where the bones 

 were found was under water, owing to the lake being filled up 

 with the rain ; but I could see the higher parts of the stumps 

 and roots above water. On the level muddy floor of the lake, 

 some chains from the edge, a very large pelvis was found quite 

 exposed. 



Without further investigation it would be rash to conclude 

 that these bones are very recent. I think it more probable 

 that they are of the same age as the bones at the rock, but 

 that the action of the flowing water from the lake has removed 

 the accumulation of vegetable matter in wdiich they were 

 buried, and left the bones entangled among the roots and 

 timber. 



Two points may be noticed in connection with this dis- 

 covery : — 



