Moas and Moa-hunters. 133 



stemSj the barbs of which, although furnished with barbules, 

 remain separate from each other. These barbs, wliich are at 

 first very sliort, attain a length of about 2^ centim. (1 inch), 

 and the feather terminates with a rounded margin. The 

 first two thirds from the base are of a more or less reddish 

 brown, which gradually passes into black, while the rounded 

 extremity is of the purest white. Prof. Hutton points out 

 that these characters approximate the Moas to the American 

 and Australian brevipennate birds rather than to the African 

 ostrich *. 



As a matter of course, however, all the Moas had not the 

 same plumage. The discoveries of Mr. Taylor White in this 

 respect furnish a confirmation of what was easy to foresee. 

 In the cave of Mount Nicholas he found feathers of a pale 

 yellowish-brown colour, darker at the margins. Some were 

 of a blackish brown. The feathers from another cave, near 

 Queenstown, were of a reddish brown and marked with a dark 

 brown streak towards the extremity of the stem f. Thus we 

 know, at least partially, the plumage of three species of Moas J. 



The feathers which I have just described came no doubt 

 from the middle or posterior region of the body. The 

 precious specimen described and figured by Dr. Hector shows 

 the modifications presented in this respect by the anterior 

 dorsal region and the neck §. This includes seven vertebrge, 

 the first dorsal, and the six lowest cervicals, united by their 

 ligaments, and retaining upon one side their muscles and 

 integuments. The author believes that the neck of this Moa 

 was 18 English inches in circumference at its base. 



Upon the portion of this specimen corresponding to the 

 first dorsal vertebra, the skin is seen to be covered with large 

 conical papillae which nearly touch each other, and give the 

 whole the appearance of a rasp. A certain number of these 

 papillae bear double-stemmed feathers of a reddish-chestnut 

 colour, furnished with barbs like those of the preceding- 

 feathers, but the longest of which are at the utmost 2 inches 

 long. The papilla? diminish in size and the feathers in length 

 on arriving at the level of the cervical vertebrae. Soon the 

 feathers appear to be reduced to mere hairs, and they disappear 

 entirely upon about half the specimen. There the pai>illa3 

 are much smaller and are distinctly separated from eacli 

 other. 



* Loc, cit. p. 173. 



+ Loc. cit. p. 114, pi. v., with five figures. 



X " Notes on Moa-caves in the Wakatipu District," by Taylor White 

 (* Transactions ' &c. vol. viii. p. 97). 



§ Note added to the preceding by F. W, Hutton (ibid. p. 101). 



