1 
86 Account of some Fossil Bones 
widest part. The still remaining bone, the largest of all, 
which was merely a section, measured in length 6 inches, 
and in circumference inches in the smallest part. These 
bones were all (excepting the last mentioned) of a very 
dark colour, almost a ferruginous brown, and appeared 
to have entirely lost their oily matter. They were very 
stout, especially the tibia , and were strongly marked and 
indented on the outside with muscular impressions. 
Within, what little remained of the reticulated cells 
appeared to be nearly perfect. They were all found by 
the natives in the Waiapu River, and were collected by 
them for the purpose of cutting up and attaching to their 
fish-hooks in order to fish. The portion of tibia which 
I obtained had been sawn across by the native in whose 
possession it was, for that purpose. I also obtained 
several hooks, each having portions of the bones of the 
Moa attached to it. I could not, however, ascertain from 
the smallness of the slips, whether these had been 
originally cut out of such bones as those I had just pro¬ 
cured, or whether they had not been sawn from bone 
of a different description and larger size. 
Leaving Waiapu, and proceeding on by the coast 
towards the south, I arrived at Poverty Bay, where the 
Rev. W. Williams resided. This gentleman had had the 
good fortuue to procure a nearly whole tibia of an 
immense bird, without, however, the entire processes of 
either end. This bone measured about 18 inches in 
length, and was proportionably thick. Mr. Williams 
wishing to send this uniejue relic to Oxford, I left a pair 
of femora to accompany it, in order, if possible, to obtain 
from that seat of learning some light on these increasingly 
interesting remains. At Poverty Bay I made several 
inquiries after Moa bones, but to little purpose, as I could 
not obtain any. 
Quitting Poverty Bay, and still travelling in a southern 
