ROOM II. OSSIFEROUS CAVES IN NEW ZEALAND. 103 



relics was impossible while beset by the hordes of Maoris 

 and I could neither bribe nor drive them away. 



" The largest femur, tibia, and fibula, (in Table-case 15) 

 were lying in their natural connexion, the leg slightly bent 

 at the knee : a chain of vertebrae of corresponding size was 

 discovered near them, and I doubt not the whole belonged 

 to the same colossal bird. 



" Mixed with the bones, but exceedingly rare, were the 

 fragments of the egg-shells. I also found six oval rings and 

 one broad circular ring of tracheae. In coming down from 

 Ngamotu, I discovered a few more remains of egg-shells: 

 one fragment is four inches long, and affords a chord by 

 which to estimate the size of the original ; as a rough guess, 

 I may say that a common hat would have served as an egg- 

 cup for it : what a loss* for the breakfast table ! And if 

 native traditions are worthy of credit, the ladies have cause 

 to mourn the extinction of the Moa : the long feathers of its 

 crest were by their remote ancestors prized above all other 

 ornaments; those of the White Crane, which now bear the 

 highest value, were mere pigeon's feathers in comparison. 



" The Maoris informed me that the sand-flat at Te Ranga- 

 tapu was one of the first spots on which their ancestors 

 located; and this seems not improbable, for in digging in 

 various places I found small circular beds of ashes, with 

 charcoal and bones, very ancient, and such as are generally 

 left by the native fires that have long been burning on the 

 same place. They contained calcined bones of men, dogs, 

 and moas. Fragments of obsidian, flint, two fishing-line 

 stones, and a whalebone meri (a sort of weapon), were also 

 dug up." 



Ossiferous Caves in New Zealand. In a later commu- 

 nication, my son mentions having seen stalactites from 

 limestone caves, which were said to contain moas' bones in 

 their sparry floors, but he had not been able to visit them. 

 This account proved to be correct, and I am indebted to the 

 kindness of Dr. Andrew Smith, Inspector-General of the Army 

 Medical Department, for the following notice by Dr. A. S. 

 Thompson, Surgeon of the 58th Regiment: 



"During the month of September (1849), Servantes, the 

 interpreter to the General here, was told by a native that he 

 had discovered a cave in which were many bones of moas. 



