FEATHERED GIANTS 143 
geologists deduce that at some early period in 
the history of the earth the two islands formed 
one, that later on the land subsided, leaving 
the islands separated by a strait, and that since 
this subsidence there has been sufficient time 
_ for the development of the species peculiar to 
each island. Although Moas were still nu- 
merous when man made his appearance in this 
part of the world, the large deposits of their 
bones indicate that they were on the wane, and 
that natural causes had already reduced the 
feathered population of these islands. A gla- 
_ cial period is believed to have wrought their 
destruction, and in one great morass, abound- 
ing in springs, their bones occur in such enor- 
mous numbers, layer upon layer, that it is 
thought the birds sought the place where the 
_ flowing springs might afford their feet at least 
some respite from the biting cold, and there 
perished miserably by thousands. 
What Nature spared man finished, and 
legends of Moa hunts and Moa feasts still lin- 
gered among the Maoris when the white man 
came and began in turn the extermination of 
the Maori. The theory has been advanced, 
