FIJI-NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITION 187 
they proved instruments of exquisite torture, abrading the region 
of the tendon of Achilles until both ankles were worn raw and 
bleeding and I was practically a cripple, suffering pain at every 
step. Mrs. Stoner had some adhesive tape and bandages which 
helped a good deal but there seemed no hope of real relief. After 
hobbling around for about a week, however, I succeeded in having 
my old shoes patched up. 
The Museum contains the finest moa material I have seen. Be- 
sides a complete restoration of the entire bird made by Mr. Griffin, 
who used feathers of the apteryx for covering his manikin, there 
is a very large complete skeleton, and mounted specimens of all 
the related non-carinate birds including the ostrich, cassowary 
and emu, to illustrate the gigantic size of the moa as compared 
with some of the largest existing forms. 
Sunday, July 16, was spent in resting and writing and in photo- 
graphing some views of Auckland, particularly in the parks. 
Later I had a very interesting talk in the museum library with 
a Mr. Holder who had spent a good many years in the Solomon 
Islands and New Guinea and had secured a very fine ethnological 
collection, part of which is being installed in the Auckland 
museum. He had lived a long time among the most primitive 
aborigines of the South Seas and had had many exceedingly novel 
and interesting experiences. He spoke of many curious religious 
superstitions, saying that the horn-bill often appeared in their 
carvings and seemed to have some religious significance. In cer- 
tain of the dances the men act the parts of various birds and seem 
to actually think that they are birds for the time being at least. 
Before leaving, Mr. Holder presented a couple of Papuan fans to 
Dr. Stoner and myself, asking us to give them to our wives with 
his compliments. 
On the morning of July 17, Dr. Wylie came in on the Navua 
and our little party was once more intact. He reported successful 
work in Fiji and a most enjoyable voyage to Auckland which gave 
him a well earned rest. I then called on the U. S. Consul, Mr. 
Kk. de G. MacVitty, who had been ill for a few days and thus 
absent from his office when I had looked in once or twice before. 
He was very cordial, but seemed to think it would have helped 
our party in New Zealand if we had notified him in advance of 
our intended visit so that he could have prepared the way for a 
proper reception on the part of the Dominion Government. I 
told him that we were getting along all right and had thus far 
