330 Transactions. 



Art. L. — The Moa — Legendary, Historical, and Geological : Why and when 



the Moa disappeared. 



By H. Hill, [B.A, F.G.S. 

 [Bead before the Hawke's Bay Philosojihical Society, August, 1913.] 



Few subjects occupy greater prominence in the earlier volumes of the 

 " Transactions of the New Zealand Institute," and have created more in- 

 terest among scientific men, than the published accounts of the bird known 

 as the moa. Of the bird legends are few, Native information uncertain 

 and unreliable, and the history of the discovery of its fossilized bones has 

 never yet been satisfactorily settled. 



The moa as a bird represents a remarkable past. There were giant 

 birds in lands other than New Zealand during the days when the Deino- 

 therium and Mastodon roamed at will in northern climes. 



Why monster birds like the Aepyomis of Madagascar and the moa of 

 this country were characteristic of areas south of the Equator contem- 

 porary with other monster forms of animals in northern lands is still a 

 matter of surmise. 



As far as I can trace, no mention is made by any of the earlier mission- 

 aries of fossil bones of any kind. Nicholas, who voyaged to New Zealand 

 in the years 1814-15, and who published two volumes in 1817 of his travels 

 and adventures, refers to the existence in New Zealand of a bird of the 

 cassowary species. Thus, in vol. 2, page 225, he says, " From the feathers 

 which line the garments of some of the chiefs it would appear that there is 

 here a species of the cassowary, but we did not see any in our excursions. 

 The feathers are precisely the same as those of the emu in New Holland, 

 except being somewhat smaller." Of course, this has reference to the feathers 

 of the Apteryx, or kiwi, which Nicholas did not see, nor does it appear to 

 have attracted the attention of the missionaries until a later date. 



Polack, a trader who spent two years or more along the east coast of 

 the North Island between the years 1834-37, on his return to England 

 published in the year 1838 two volumes relating many quaint things con- 

 cerning New Zealand. On page 303 of vol. 1 he remarks of the North Island, 

 " That a species of the emu, or a bird of the genus Struthio, formerly existed 

 . I feel well assured, as several large fossil ossifications were shown 

 to me when I was residing in the vicinity of the East Cape, said to have 

 been found at the base of the inland mountain Ikorangi [Hikurangi]. The 

 Natives add that in times long past they received the traditions that very 

 large birds had existed, but the scarcity of animal food, as well as the easy 

 method of entrapping them, has caused their extermination." Of the 

 South Island Polack says (p. 307), "Yet, doubtless", the future ornithologist 

 will be surprised by the discovery, among the hidden mountain -gorges and 

 wilds of the Island of Victoria [i.e., the South Island], many birds at present 

 supposed to be no longer in existence. I feel assured from the many reports 

 I received from the Natives that a species of Struthio still exists in that 

 interesting land in parts which, perhaps, have never yet been trodden by 

 man. Traditions are current among the elder Natives of atuas covered 

 with hair, in the form of birds, having waylaid Native travellers among the 

 forest wilds, vanquishing them with an overpowering strength, killing and 

 devouring. The traditions are reported with an air of belief that carries 



