160 M. de Quatrefages on 



to different races, and that the one wliicli was more advanced 

 in civilization attacked and conquered that which preceded it. 

 To. find in New Zealand our two Paleolithic and Neolithic 

 ages, characterized in the sauieway by instruments indicating 

 a difference in social condition, was to introduce an important 

 argument in favour of the ethnological distinctness of the 

 Moa-hunters and the Maoris. But, by excavations in 

 the Sumner cave and the neighbouring dunes. Dr. Haast 

 himself discovered, at various times, fragments of haches and 

 other instruments perfectly polished ; and further, some unin- 

 jured specimens, similar in every respect to those which are 

 known to be the w^ork of the Maoris. Among these objects 

 some were in nephrite. All of them were found under con- 

 ditions which attested their contemporaneity with the men 

 who hunted and ate the great brevipennate birds. I shall 

 only cite a hache which was pL'iced immediately beneath the 

 stones forming an oven which had served for cooking Moas*. 

 In presence of these material proofs, furnished by himself, 

 Dr. Haast, Avith the most honourable candour, did not hesi- 

 tate to admit that the Moa-hunters had attained a degree of 

 civilization equal to that presented by the Maoris when 

 Europeans first visited New Zealandf- 



It is, I thinkj permissible to think that this equality of 

 social development, manifested by similar characteristic indus- 

 tries, ought to have inspired Dr. H«ast with some doubts as 

 to the soundness of his theory. Nevertheless he has not 

 given up any of his general ideas. He has persisted in 

 denying the ethnical identity of the Moa-hunters and the 

 Maoris, and in throwing back the epoch of the destruction of. 

 the Moas into a past time which he seems to regard as 

 geological |. 



I find no one except Mr. Colenso who has accepted this 

 doctrine as absolute §. I have already stated that Mr. Stack 



• " Researclies in Sumner Moa-Cave " (' Transactions ' &c. vol. vii. 



P-77). 



t Ibid. p. 80. Before Dr. Haast had given up this particular point, 

 numerous discoveries of instnuueuts and weapons in polished stone mixed 

 with remains of Moas had been made in many places. I have already 

 stated how Dr. Haast had endeavom-ed to explain or intei-pret facts of 

 this nature, and I need not revert to this matter. The loyal and distinct 

 declaration of the eminent geologist frees me from the necessity of enter- 

 ing here into anv details, 



X Haast, ' Geology of the Provinces of Canterbury and Westland, 

 New Zealand.' See especially the thirteen propositions formulated at 

 p. 430, and chap. xvi. (c) p. 437. 



§ '' An Account of some enormous Fossil Bones of an unlmown Species 

 of the Class Aves, latelv discovered in New Zealand," in Ann. & " 

 Nat. Hist, 1844. 



