■• Weetman. — Notes on some Moa Remains. 193 



on the Great Barrier Island, but none on the Hen and 

 Chickens, or any other nearer islands. The females and young 

 birds are duller in plumage than the adult males : Head, 

 breast, and abdomen white, with a very slight brownish tinge ; 

 wings, back, and tail lighfc-brown. Their call consists, first, of 

 three notes, like ''via, viu, viu,'' then four, like " s«V, zir, zir, 

 zir." They are useful, as they destroy a number of insects, 

 which I have found in their crops, with minute seeds. This bird 

 resembles in structure, habits, and call, the Pariis major. In 

 my opinion a more suitable name for it would be the " New 

 Zealand Titmouse." 



Aet. XXIV. — Notes on soine Moa Remains found at the Great 

 Barney Island during February, 1886. 



By Sidney Weetman. 

 [Read before the Auckland Institute, 18th October, 1886.] 

 Plate XXII. 

 Befoee going to the Barrier, in August, 1885, I was told by 

 Mr. <j. A. Martin, of the Survey Department, that, when at the 

 island in 1881, he had found some Moa bones close to the 

 Owaua Eiver, and not far from the beach. So when we were 

 camped near there at the beginning of the present year, I asked 

 my party, who were in the liabit of walking on the beach on 

 Sundays, to look out for Moa bones, which they kindly did, 

 Sunday after Sunday, but without success, until shortly before 

 we left, when Mr. George Malcolm, who had been with Mr. 

 Martin, succeeded in finding some bones, supposed to be those 

 of the Moa. These I brought to town, and submitted to Mr. 

 Cheeseman, who pronounced them to be Moa and Seal bones, 

 which was so far satisfactory, as establishing the fact that Moa 

 bones had for the first time — as I learn from Mr. Cheeseman — 

 been found off the mainland. 

 These bones comprise — 



1 Femur, 



2 Tibia, 



1 Metatarsus. 



A portion of a rib ; 

 and belonged, I am informed by Mr. Cheeseman, to one of the 

 smaller species ; the leg bones measuring in all about 22 inches, 

 so that the bird must have been about 4 feet in height. 



They were found near the surface of the drift sand, about 30 

 yards distant inland from and 20 feet above high water-mark, 

 spring tides, and almost directly opposite to the mouth of the 

 Owana Eiver, as shown on the plan (Plate XXII.), from which 



18 



