^'^[i^'] Stray Feathers. 313 



closures where the birds are fed on meat in case any scraps re- 

 main. — W. H. D. Le Souef, Zoological Gardens, Melbourne. 



Fossil Birds in New Zealand.— An item m a Masterton paper 

 of April 14lh, I'^iO, taken from the Wellington Bvenhu/ Post, is 

 of interest to those ornithologists who study the former distribu- 

 tion and extinction of New Zealand birds. 



"On occasions even scientists have heavy manual tasks to perform, 

 says the 'Post.' Recently Dr. A. Thomson (Director of the Dominion 

 '/luseum) and two members of his staff, Messrs. H. Hamilton and 

 Phillips, excavated and hauled by hand from a deep fissure in some 

 limestone rock in the Wairarapa district about seven tons of Moa 

 bones and other valuable relics. 



"About four years ago, while deer-stalking ever Mr. Murdoch 

 McLeod's Haurangi estate, near Martinborough, 62 miles north from 

 Wellington, Mr. Walter Harrison, of Masterton, came across this fis- 

 sure in a limestone ridge, in which he discovered a number of bones. 

 He reported the discovery to the Museum authorities, and an investi- 

 gation was undertaken by Dr. Thomson. The find, indeed, has proved 

 a most interesting one. 



"From the fissure were taken the remains of about twenty-live Moas 

 and of fifteen Aptorries. The latter were extinct birds resembling the 

 Weka, but very much larger — standing about three feet high, with 

 sturdy limbs, and necks. Remains of the Nctornis were aVo found. 

 The Notornis is a bird about which there was much discussion I'e- 

 cently owing to the discovery of a live specimen in Otago, and of 

 which three are known to have been seen alive. About twenty of 

 them had left their bones in this opening in the rocks. Piled up were 

 also the remains of numbers of Kakapo (a Parrot), the Kiwi, extinct 

 Ducks, and, strangely enough, bones of the tuatara lizard, which is 

 now only found on Stephens Island, and one or two other islands 

 round the coast. There were remains of the New Zealand Crow, the 

 Huia, and the large Laughing Owl — a very rare bird. 



"Round about were other similar openings in the rocks, but only in 

 this one were these relics of a past age found. The scientists find it 

 difficult to account for this fact, and for so many being accumulated 

 there. Recently a similar discovery was made in a cave near Pahi- 

 atua. One theory is that the fissure formed a bird mausoleum, to 

 which in a past age the birds went to die. There were no evidences 

 of human bones, and the scientists estimate that the bones have been 

 there for at least five centuries, and thus date back to before the 

 coming of the Maori. 



The remains have been brought to Wellington, and are at present 

 being cleaned, sorted, and classified. 



Dr. Thomson believes there may be collections in other caves be- 

 tween Pallister Bay and Napier, and particularly asks that any dis- 

 coveries should be reported." 



Of the above mentioned birds, the Xotornis has long been ex- 

 tinct in the North Island, and is now believed to inhabit only the 

 country around the rugged West Coast vSounds of the South 

 Island. The Kakapo is extremely rare in the North Island, but 

 is found in moderate numbers in parts of the South, while the 

 Laughing Owl is very rare and cf)nfined to the latter island. 



