346 Transactions. 



The distribution of the bones of nioas throughout so large an extent of 

 country in horizontal, and vertical space shows conclusively, it appears to 

 rue, that the birds had few or no enemies to limit their existence, their 

 movements, or their multiplication. At Lake Waikaremoana. and at Mata- 

 wai, in the Motu country, the Dinornis maximus appears to have predomi- 

 nated. Enormous pelves and leg-bones and whole strings of tracheal rings 

 and vertebral bones have been collected in a number of places, and doubt- 

 less the time will come, as the country is settled, when many specimens of 

 the moa will be found in this bold rugged country, where caves, potholes, 

 and rock shelters are common. In the Marumaru caves, beyond Wairoa, 

 the bones are also very large ; but the largest pelves I have seen were from 

 the Matawai caves, which certainly existed before the country was forest- 

 clad. The absence of skulls in several cases is to be regretted, but it 

 appears to arise from the lack of knowledge in the case of those who first 

 enter the caves. Usually the discoverers do not appreciate a find unless 

 there are great leg-bones. The mandibles, sternum, vertebral bones, and 

 foot-bones are considered as being of no use, and on one occasion I dis- 

 covered a pelvis had been taken for the skull of a bullock by a roadman, 

 who found a particularly fine specimen of the skeleton of a moa among 

 some great rock-masses near Waikaremoana Lake. 



In the hill-range leading to Mount Hikurangi — the mountain referred to 

 by Polack — a settler discovered a number of moa-skeletons a short time 

 ago. Thus Mr. Allen Watkins, of Tokomaru Bay, to whom I am indebted 

 for the information, writes, — 



The moas — five in number — were in a rock about 8 ft. by 8 ft., and were all lying 

 with their heads together on a ledge at the extreme end of the cave. 



Very few of the bones were missing, and, the heads being in an excellent state of 

 preservation, my brother mounted the biggest of the birds, and it stands about 5 ft. 

 high — a little over, if anything. Horihori Station, where the birds were found, is twenty 

 miles from the sea, and of extremely rocky formation, and where the cave is must be 

 quite 2,000 ft. up. The surrounding timber was exceptionally heavy, including all the 

 well-known larger forest-trees — rimu, miro, pukatea, rata, &c. Distance from Hiku- 

 rangi, five miles. 



The position of the birds leads me to think they were fleeing from some enemy, or 

 perhaps fire, otherwise why the heads all together on a little ledge with the bodies out 

 in the cave — a peculiarity of this species when escaping from danger ? 



This description agrees generally with what appeared in the Hangaroa 

 caves. 



All the caves that have come under my notice as containing moa-bones 

 are at a fairly high elevation, and are usually found in the midst of a bush 

 area. The position of skeletons in the caves as seen by me suggests that 

 the birds had sought refuge from fear. The caves in no single instance 

 showed traces of frequent use as a resort, and the only suggestion is that 

 the birds hurried from open country or from the hills in the vicinity to 

 shelter themselves or protect themselves from some sudden danger. Every- 

 where there are traces of a heavy pumice-sand deposit, and the surround- 

 ing rocks are' usually broken and greatly disturbed, as if great earth-move- 

 ments had taken place. Scattered bones and bone-heaps are found in some 

 of the highest and roughest country, as if the birds had been hurrying from 

 the lowlands in search of shelter. Death had met them by the way, and 

 there had been no enemy — either man or animal — to interfere with flesh or 

 bones. In some places heaps of smooth small whitish stones are found 

 where great bush-fires have occurred and burnt all that was capable of 

 burning of moa-remains. 



