﻿9 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



will bring to our kDowledge many more lai'ge carajjing places, and will offer 

 lis more ample material to draw conclusions as to the character, life, and 

 manners of that pre-historic people whose implements, so far as we know, are 

 of the same character throughout both islands. 



Fragmentary as my researches have been, so are necessarily my notes on 

 this important subject, but T trust that they will be at least the means of 

 procuring more attention to the matter amongst my fellow colonists, many of 

 whom, I have no doubt, can assist me matei-ially in more fully investigating 

 it, either by collecting specimens, describing their oym. experience, or pointing 

 out to me where similar encampments may be examined. I need scarcely 

 observe that I am far from considering the inductions drawn from the obser- 

 vations I have been able to make as final, or that I claim for the different 

 hypotheses I venture to propose more than a simply suggestive character. 



Every day;^ especially if other observers will give tis the result of their 

 labours, new vistas will be opened before us, and our ideas become enlarged 

 and modified. T should feel quite satisfied with the result of my labours, even 

 should some of the views expressed to-day prove erroneous, if by this means I 

 shall have been instrumental in extending our acquaintance with the ancient 

 inhabitants of this country, and thus promoting the advancement of know- 

 ledge and truth. 



Additional Notes. 



[^Reacl hefore the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 5th April, 1871.] 



In the address I had the honour to deliver to you at our last meeting, I 

 omitted some points of importance concerning Moas and moa-huntei-s ; I trust, 

 therefore, that you will allow me to supplement the information then given 

 by returning once more to the subject. However, before doing so, I wish to 

 observe that it has never been my intention to attempt to deal exhaustively 

 with the subject, in so far as alluding to all former publications upon it, for 

 the simple reason that most of those writings were published in newspapers, 

 or in the Transactions of scientific societies not accessible to me, my principal 

 object being to allude to those of a few well qualified authors, who were the 

 first to collect traditions concerning the Moa amongst the natives. This I did 

 in order to inquire how far my own researches into the geological position of 

 the remains of Dino7'nis confirmed or contradicted those so-called native 

 traditions. I selected principally the oldest writings, such as. those of the 

 Rev. W. Colenso and of Dr. Mantell, because the old natives with whom Mr. 

 Colenso and Mr. W. Mantell conversed, and who now have, doubtless, passed 

 away, were still in full possession of the traditions of their ancestors prior to 



