Vol. I, No. 5, N.Z. JOUKNAL OF SCIENCE (New Issue) SEPT., 1891. 



ON THE OCCURRENCE OF MOA AND OTHER 

 REMAINS AT ALBURY. 



In Vol. II., page 293 of this Journal, I recorded the finding of 

 numerous Moa and other remains in the caves and swallow-holes of the 

 limestone rocks at Albury. Since I left the district in 1883 consi- 

 derable changes have been wrought, changes which, from a naturalist's 

 point of view, are not always welcome. The extensive swamps have 

 been drained, the magnificent limestone range has been ploughed, 

 and during the progress of the work many facts which may serve 

 to enlighten its a little on the theories of the ancient or modern 

 extinction of the Moas have come to light. As the opinions of 

 scientists are still about equally divided on this question, the following 

 observations made while digging up and collecting the bones of Moas 

 and other extinct birds in the district, will, I think, show the great 

 antiquity of the birds, as well as tend to prove that they existed there 

 even in comparatively recent times. 



By direction of Sir Walter Buller, F.R.S., I lately proceeded to 

 Albury to explore the caves and swallow-holes in the locality, and to 

 collect all bones, <fcc, as above-mentioned. After engaging a man to 

 assist in the work, we began on a swallow-hole that I had not previously 

 examined. The " holes " I may observe are deep circular pits varying 

 in size from a few feet to eighty or ninety teet in diameter at the top, 

 and about the same in depth ; most of them have steep, sloping sides 

 narrowing clown to the bottom. In wet weather the rain falling on 

 their sides, and the small streams entering them from the higher points 

 of the range, enter subterranean channels having their outlet in the 

 low gullies, or on the edges of the swamps at the base of the lower 

 downs. The occurrence of great quantities of mixed bones in the 

 bottoms of the swallow-holes, and in the channels or fissures leading 

 from them, suggests that the birds probably fell into them accidentally, 

 and being unable to extricate themselves died in the holes. The bones, 

 owing to the subsequent accumulation of broken rock and clay on the 

 bottoms, are embedded at various depths, while others were carried by 

 the water down the underground channels beyond recovery. The first 

 hole we examined had a perpendicular opening of seven feet, and led 

 into a horizontal cave thirty yards long. In the centre of it, and ex- 

 tending its whole length is a broad fissure of great depth, with jagged 

 almost perpendicular walls. After tying knots on the rope about four 

 feet apart and fixing it to a crowbar driven into the ground on the top 

 of the hole, we put down the tools and lowered ourselves. Having dug- 

 through about eighteen inches of earthy clay containing pigs' bones we 

 had to dig three feet deeper before finding any bones of the moa. In 

 order to avoid injuring them with the tools we carefully probed the 

 clay with a fine iron rod to ascertain where they lay. By this means 

 we were able to proceed more expeditiously and with safety. The 

 colour of the clay is yellow and intensely adhesive, it is somewhat difficult 

 to work tools in it, and and although the work is not all rose pink and 



