CorENso.—On the Moa. 108 
given in almost my very words; nevertheless, if not wholly original on his 
part, I bring Dr. Dieffenbach forward as a valuable witness, and a sup- 
porter of my early published opinions). 
2. Of the later opinions of Sir George Grey and of Mr. Weld ( with others of 
lesser note), stated, or adduced, in some of the past volumes of the ** Transactions 
of the New Zealand Institute." 
Having read them, I cannot allow this (my last!) opportunity to pass 
without briefly noticing them. Sir G. Grey is stated to have said that he 
had heard from the Maoris of their general knowledge of the Moa, and of 
its recent extinction, in common with some other birds; and Mr. Weld 
relates of a Maori informing him how the bird kicked like a horse, etc., etc. 
To me all this is easy enough. From January, 1838 (when I first heard of 
the Moa), down to 1842, and later, no man could possibly have done more 
than I did in my quest after it, and no man could have had better oppor- 
tunities; by enquiry everywhere, personally, in travelling (and I, then, 
travelled /argely) ; by letters to a distance, in New Zealand, to both 
Europeans and Maoris; and by Maoris (my own lads), returning to their 
homes in all parts from our Mission Stations at the north;* and through 
many others of them whom we had redeemed from slavery and restored to 
their homes and tribes, and with whom I subsequently long corresponded ;— 
and, I again assert, that it was through me that the Maoris generally got 
to know of the Moa having been a real (or common) bird. I showed them, 
repeatedly, at the station, the plates in Rees’ Cyclopedia,t containing all 
the Struthious birds, and told them of their habits, etc., and of my opinion 
of the extinct Moa ; that information was carried almost everywhere (with, 
no doubt, many additions),—and that information, together with simple 
leading questions on the parts of the enquirers (especially when put by the 
Governor of the Colony, or by any superior,—which, according to Maori 
etiquette, would not be negatived even if wrong){—and, also, with but a 
small knowledge of the Maori tongue on the part of the Europeans, fully 
explain all to me, and that very satisfactorily. Here, I cannot help remark- 
ing, in order to make things clear, that words would fail to show to the 
colonist of to-day—or (say) of the last thirty to thirty-five years—how 
highly different it was with the Maori before this Colony was established, 
and for a few years after; I mean, particularly, with reference to the 
‘making of those enquiries. They were carried everywhere throughout the - 
length and breadth of the North Island; they were the constant theme of 
conversation among the Maoris, who then had little of a novel nature to 
* Vide Trans. N. Z. Inst., Vol. XL, p. 110. t Vol. V., Natural History, plates. 
1 Vide Trans. N. Z. Inst., Vol. L, p. 49 of “ Essay on the Maori Races,” 
