﻿HA.AST. — Moas and Moa Hunters. 103 



centuries back, even of such minor events as the existence and loss of two 

 carved stone dishes, and this suggests that certainly they would have similar 

 correct and reliable traditions as to the existence and the extinction of the 

 huge wingless birds, had they been known to their forefathers. What better 

 ai-gument could I bring forward in proof of the long lapse of time since the 

 Dinornithes must have become extinct ■? 



The occurrence of moa bones on open plains, etc., as described by Dr. 

 Hector, is quite in accordance with observations made in this province, but if 

 their presence is explained in the way the Rev. J. W. Stack has so successfully 

 attempted, all difficiilties on this head are easily removed. 



The south-eastern portion of this island was not only inhabited by large 

 tribes of Maoris, but they were also constantly in the habit of travelling to the 

 lakes in the interior for fishing purposes, and to the West Coast for obtaining 

 the much coveted greenstone. 



Every valley and peak, every creek and ford over a river had a name, and 

 was perfectly well known to them for centuries. But besides these fishing and 

 other excursions, they went to the interior for catching rats and woodhens, 

 and they were therefore exceedingly anxious that no fires should run over the 

 country, so as to destroy the means of their subsistence. 



But when the Europeans came and settled upon the land, this fear was 

 greatly removed ; extensive fires passed repeatedly over the country, and the 

 moa bones, which for ages had been preserved under the protecting cover of 

 the peaty soil, were laid bare, but soon disappeared again, when subjected to 

 the destructive atmosj)heric influences. How can we account otherwise for 

 their sudden appearance and disappearance 1 



My first extensive exploration in this province dates back to the beginning 

 of 1861, or ten years after the country was first occupied by European settlers ; 

 but even then I never found any moa bones lying in the grass, except when 

 they could be traced to their having been washed out from the banks of creeks 

 and deposited there by floods. 



The extensive layer of bones which in many localities were seen by the 

 first settlers had already entirely disappeared in the short space of ten years, and 

 this has doubtless been the case in Otago. 



Thus, for instance, there were great quantities of moa bones, no doubt 

 uncovered a short time previously by great fires, at some locality on the banks 

 of the southern Ashburton, when the first settlers went there, over which the 

 track leads to the lakes near the head of that river, to which the Maoris 

 resorted for centuries for pui-poses of eel -fishing. Now even supposing that 

 the moa bones had been lying there for 100 years, which is utterly impossible, 

 as the bones of horses and cattle disappear within twenty years on our plains, 

 is it conceivable that the natives, of whom some were of very great age when 



