MAORI MIDDENS. 
419 
they arrived the bird was gone ; a gentleman holding an 
official situation under the Nelson Provincial Government, 
shortly after passed that way, and having heard the report, 
questioned the man very closely on the subject, and from the 
accurate description given of the bird, he was quite disposed 
to believe that a living moa had been seen ; the man drew 
on paper the outlines of one pretty accurately, and as he 
had only recently arrived in New Zealand, and never heard 
of the existence of such a bird, the gentleman in question 
was inclined to believe the statement.* 
Dr. Hector found their well-defined tracks through the 
Manuka scrub on the mountain ranges of the Middle Island 
still remaining, which in a climate like that of New Zealand 
the luxuriance of its vegetation would soon have obliterated, 
if those paths were entirely untrodden. But it may be ob- 
jected, if these birds are still in existence, how is it they are 
not met with ? the reply is easily given : because there is 
every reason to believe they were night birds, the same as 
the apterix. 
The name of the plain containiug the ovens is Bangatapu , 
it may refer to the bank where the middens are found : the 
sacred bank — or, to the hunters of the moa, the sacred band, 
each of which is applicable to the moa. These Maori middens, 
therefore, have their interest, as well as the far older ones of 
Europe, they are as worthy of our consideration, and their 
investigation is as calculated to throw light on the past state 
of the Maori, as the other is of the Scandinavian race. The 
entire island may be said to be surrounded by them ; not 
only are they found in the vicinity of every old pa, but 
along all the coasts may be seen vast heaps or mounds of 
shells, remnants of olden times, when the entire population 
had periodically during the scarce season to visit the sea side 
for such food as it afforded ; amongst the shells, mingled 
with other remains, those of the moa are generally to be 
found. 
In the Salisbury Museum a most interesting collection of 
pre-historic remains is to be seen, which is perhaps the 
* Mr. Redhead. 
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