CoLENSo. — 071 the Moa. 103 



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 pubhshed opinions). 



2. Of the later opinions of Sir George Grey and of Mr. Weld (tvith others of 

 lesser note), stated, or adduced, in some of the past volumes of the " Transactioiis 

 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 largely) ; 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 Eees' Cyclopedia,! 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 enquu-ers (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 estabhshed, 

 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. XI., p. 110. t Vol. V., Natural History, plates. 

 I Vide Trans. N. Z. Inst., Vol. I., p. 49 of " Essay on the Maori Baces." 



