﻿Hector. — On Recent Moa Remains. 113 



'• I have been able to make out pretty distinctly the remains of eight 

 birds, there having been found sixteen tihice^ of course not all complete. I have 

 referred to the remains of a fire in the cave ; a great many pieces of charred 

 bones were found in the first floor, chiefly of the femur ; in the second floor a 

 number of claws were found, and these were nearly all charred, and of all the 

 leg bones only two were found slightly charred. Two tihice are evidently those 

 of a young bird, as the ends are undeveloped, also a portion of jje^vis evidently 

 belonging to the same bird ; these bones are thin and soft, much more so than 

 any yet found either in that cave or elsewhere. 



" My impression is that the flat ground round about the opening opposite 

 the mountain was the camping ground of the birds, and, having been kUled 

 either on the flat or higher up the hill, their remains were washed down into 

 the cave and deposited on the side of the cave above alluded to, for it is 

 impossible to imagine how such gigantic birds could have found their way into 

 the cave, unless, indeed, the openings were at some anterior period larger, and 

 have since become closed by an earthquake or by the settling down of the huge 

 rock. The idea of a landslip is negatived by the presence of the rocks and the 

 entire flatness of the ground round about. They may, however, have been 

 killed and then roasted in the cave, but it is difficult to say, especially as no 

 implements have been found in or near the vicinity of the cave. 



" Of the portions of egg-shells found, it may be stated that these were, 

 along with the remains of the winged birds, found at the lowest and deepest 

 part of the cave, in small crevices of the rock. In my opinion the only 

 possible way of arriving at any positive conclusion as to how the bones got 

 into the cave is a thorough examination of the country lying above the place, 

 in order to see if any slip had ever occurred. I am inclined to think that they 

 have been washed down, as a qixantity of sheep manure and pieces of wood 

 are scattered about the place, and such marks as are left after a place has been 

 flooded are distinctly seen." 



" I have again visited the cave, and still adhere to my former impressions. 

 At this visit only a few claws were got, and a few tracheal rings and vertehrce. 



" At another place (Butcher's G-ully) bones have been found ; a tibia, thirty- 

 two inches long, has been got, which I have in my possession. Other bones 

 have been found, and are to be sent in to me, and it is my intention to pay a 

 visit to this place, about which 1 shall inform you if you think it necessary. 



" Along with this I forward you a few feathers found half-way between 

 Alexandra and Roxburgh.* They were found by a miner, eighteen feet below 

 the surface of the ground, while sluicing. Perhaps you have already in 

 your possession feathers, but these may not be unacceptable, and tend to show 



* Described by Captain Hutton, see jjost. 



