166 PICTURE-WRITING OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS. 
Between the two fishes or whales is ), which might represent a fishhook, and be- 
low the snake d a sword e with a curved blade. 
Advancing toward the right is a group whieh is of special interest, the figure i, 
which is nearly a foot long, having all the appearance of a long-necked bird carry- 
ing the head as the cassowary and emu do, and as the moa has done. If this design 
should represent the moa, I might suggest that it was either a conventional way of 
drawing that bird or that it was already extinct when this representation was 
painted according to tradition; in which latter case / might represent the taniwha 
or gigantic fabulous lizard which is said to have watched the moa, ih is doubtless 
a quadruped, probably a dog, which was a contemporary of the moa and was used 
also as food by the moa hunters. j is evidently a weapon, probably an adz or toma- 
hawk, and might, being close to the supposed bird, indicate the manner in which 
the latter was killed during the chase. The post, with the two branches near the top 
fod 
2 
ees 
= is ee 
Fie 133.—Petroglyph in New Zealand. 
1, finds a counterpart in the remnant of a similar figure g between the figures ¢ and i. 
They might represent some of the means by which the moa was caught or indicate 
that it existed in open country between the forest. m, under which the rock in the 
central portion has scaled off, is like f, one of the designs which resemble ancient 
oriental writing. 
Approaching the middle portion of the wall we find here a well-shaped group of 
paintings, the center of which » has all the appearance of a hat ornamented on the 
crown. The rim of this broad-brimmed relic measures 2 feet across. The expert of 
ancient customs and habits of the Malayan and South Indian countries might per- 
haps be able to throw some light upon this and the surrounding figures, 0 to 7. 
From q, which is altogether 3 feet high, evidently issues fire or smoke; it SRE ORS 
might represent a tree on fire, a lamp or an altar with incense offering. : 
The figure o is particularly well painted, and the outlines are clearly defined, but I 
