Haast. — On the Early History of the Canterbury Museum. 509 



from Mr. T. Haoket, a series of bird- skins from the Northern Island from 

 Mr. W. L. BuUer, and a collection of fossils from Mr. J. D. Enys. About 

 the same time a large collection of botanical specimens, consisting of fibres, 

 barks, fruits, cones, seeds and timber arrived. They were sent by Dr. (now 

 Sir) Jos. D. Hooker, the Director of the Eoyal Gardens at Kew. Dr. J. 

 Hector, the Director of the Colonial Museum in Wellington, presented also 

 a number of valuable specimens, amongst them the first pair of huias 

 (Heteralocha gouldi). 



Hitherto, the principal material for exchanges upon which we could rely 

 were New Zealand bird-skins ; however, in the beginning of December 

 (1866) a new era for the Museum began, and to which, after that time, its 

 rapid growth has principally to be attributed. At the invitation of Mr. Gr. 

 H. Moore, then the New Zealand partner of Messrs. Kermode and Co., I pro- 

 ceeded to their fine property, Glenmark, where, during the drainage of some 

 swampy ground, large quantities of moa bones had been discovered. That 

 gentleman, on my arrival, not only presented most generously the large and 

 unique collection on hand to the Museum, but, in order that I might judge 

 for myself of the mode of occurrence, he placed several workmen at my dis- 

 posal, with whom, for a number of days, I made some very successful exca- 

 vations, the results of which surpassed my highest expectations. The 

 generous gift of Mr. Moore, and the bones excavated under my direction, 

 filled a large American four-horse waggon. From this material the first 

 seven moa skeletons in the Museum were articulated. About the same time 

 a large collection of skins of North American mammals arrived from Pro- 

 fessor L. Agassiz, so that we now had also some representative specimens 

 from the American Continent. 



The collections at the end of 1866 had become so extensive, that it was 

 utterly impossible to find space for them in the rooms occupied by me as 

 of&ces. The Provincial Government, therefore, at my earnest request, put 

 at my disposal the small cottage on the eastern side of Kilmore Street, close 

 to the Government Buildings, afterwards occupied by the Emigration and 

 Charitable Aid offices. Here in one room I had my office, the rest of the 

 building being used as a storeroom. I succeeded, also, in having the fine 

 room above Bellamy's — the so-called coffee-room, afterwards used as the 

 Superintendent's of&ce — set apart for Museum purposes. It was here that 

 the first seven moa skeletons were articulated. The small room with the 

 fine bow window, adjoining the coffee-room, was made the work-room of 

 the taxidermist. 



We had now fairly invaded the Government buildings, and could expect 

 that this further step in enlarging the opportunity of examining the public 

 collections would lead to the final success of having a separate Museum 



