194 Transactions. — Zoology. 



it will be seen that the river, when within eight chains of the 

 coast, turns almost at right angles and runs parallel with the 

 coast for about 40 chains before joining the sea. On this narrow 

 strip of land, which rises to a height of 330 feet above the sea, 

 a most picturesque, and what must have been an almost im- 

 pregnable, pa stands, having a perpendicular rock face to- 

 wards the sea, and a very steep slope inland towards the river. 

 From this fact, and the one that the only dry flat on the island 

 is there, it is reasonable to suppose that it was a favourite 

 camping-ground of the Natives, and that much feasting must 

 at times have been indulged in. Therefore, I think we may 

 conclude that these bones, associated as they were with those 

 of the Seal, formed, with them, in all probability, the remams 

 of a repast. 



The most interesting question to decide is whether the bird 

 was found on the island, or taken there, and it is one upon 

 which I cannot venture to express an opinion ; but, from the 

 very precipitous, broken, and rocky nature of the island, 

 coupled with the fact that it must, at the time of the Moa, 

 have been almost entirely covered with dense forest, I am in- 

 clined to think that if it existed there at all, the Moa would 

 have considerable difficulty in travelling, and would be com- 

 pelled to come down on to the beaches for a "constitutional," 

 where it would easily be captured by a Moa-hunter. 



In conclusion, I may mention that Mr. Malcolm, who found 

 these bones, is of opinion that they are not as large as those 

 found by Mr. Martin's party. If this is so, it is obvious that 

 more than one Moa was eaten there ; and should remains be 

 found at different parts of the island, there will be some founda- 

 tion for the belief that the bird existed there. 



Art. XXV. — On a New Species of Alpheus. 

 By T. W. KiKK. 

 [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 18th February, 1887.] 



Plate VId. 



Alpheus halesii. 



Carapace smooth, long, somewhat compressed, one and a 



half times as long as broad, the portions over the eyes very 



prominently arched ; rostrum small, extending back beyond the 



base of the eye arch ; total length one-fourth that of carapace. 



Internal antenyioR, second joint twice the length of the first ; 

 the basal scale terminates in an acute point. 



External antenna, basal scale stout, larger than the peduncle, 

 very thick on outer edge, curved outwards, terminating in sharp 

 point. 



