Moas and Moa-hunters. 173 



pteryx elepliantopus has been met with in the same two 

 localities, but in smaller quantity than the preceding. 



We see that man has eaten some of the largest and most 

 remarkable species of Moas. However, he seems to have 

 soon exterminated them. None of those just mentioned has 

 occurred at Point Cave. They are replaced there by the 

 species of Euryaptei-yx and Meionornisj especially by Meion- 

 ornis didtformis^ which the natives, although sometimes 

 killing it, seem to have disdained so long as they could hunt 

 Palapteryx *. 



I place here in the form of a table the results of the 

 excavations made by Dr. Haast in some localities where 

 man has eaten the Moas, adding the indications given by the 

 author as to the greater or less abundance of the bones be- 

 longing to the different species : — 



Genus DiNORNis. 



D. robustus (Shag Valley, a few bones). 

 D. gracilis (Rakaia, dominant) . 



D, struthioides (Rakaia, dominant). 



Genus Palapteryx. 



P. ingens (Rakaia; three individuals). 



P. crassus (Shag Valley, dominant ; Rakaia, many). 



P. elephantopus (Shag Valley, fewer ; Rakaia, few). 



Genus Meionornis. 



M, casuarinus (Shag Valley, very few; Rakaia, domi- 

 nant; Point Cave, 15*05). 



M. didiformis (Shag Valley, very few ; Rakaia, many ; 

 Point Cave, 53-03). 



Genus EURYAPTERYX. 



E. rheides (Shag Valley, dominant; Point Cave, 49'01). 

 E. gravis (Shag Valley, fewer ; Point Cave, 33*03). 



Thus about two thirds of the species of Moas hitherto 

 recognized have been met with in the remains of the feasts 

 of the natives. 



If the Maoris had hunted tlie Moas only by means of the 

 processes described by Mr. White, it is very probable that 

 Europeans would have been able to observe some species of 



* Letter from Mr. W. H. G. Roberts (' Traiisactious ' &c. vol, vii. 

 p. 548). 



