loo 
THE GEOLOGY OF NELSOff. 
perfect yet found in Mew Zealand—was the reward of further 
researches. 
Being obliged myself to leave' for the Pakawau coal-field, my 
friend Haast remained behind in company with the young 
surveyor, Mr. Maling, to make more extensive researches. The 
bottom ot a second cave, the Stafford’s cave, was turned up, 
and the bottom of a third one, the Mo a Cave. The excitement 
ot the moa-diggers w^s great, and increased ; for the deeper 
they went below the stalagmite crusts covering the floor, the 
larger were the bones they found, and whole legs, from the 
hip-bone to the claws of the toes, were exposed. They dug 
and washed three days and three nights, and on the fourth 
day they returned in triumph to Collingwood, followed by two 
pack-bullocks loaded with moa bones. 
I must confess that not only was it a cause of great excite¬ 
ment to the people of Collingwood, but also to myself, as 
the gigantic bones were laid before our view. A Maori bring- 
mg me tw o living kiwis from Rocky River gave us an opportuni ty 
to compare the remains of the extinct species of the family 
with the living Apterix . 
It gives me much pleasure to acknowledge the zeal and 
exertions of my countryman and friend Haast, in adding such 
valuable specimens to the collections of the 4 Movara’ expedition. 
The observations of M. Haast, made during this search, throw 
a new light upon this great family of extinct birds. He found 
that according to the depth so was the size of the remains, thus 
proving that the greater the antiquity the larger the species. 
The bones of Dinornis crassus and Pcd apterix ingens (a bird 
standing the height of nine feet) were always found at a lower 
level than the bones of Dinornis didiformis (Owen) of only four 
feet high. 
I have the pleasure of showing you here a leg of Dinornis 
crassus.* 
I have since had my collection of bones increased by various 
T* 
Circumference 
* Tarsus 
Tibia 
* » 
Long. 
9| in. 
*>»> ~ 
•M W » 
of the Shaft* 
0*9 in. 
(r(i 
r ennir 
Spread of tlie claws 
** 
13 
15 
8*0 
