1918.] The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology 87 
It is a fact of some interest to note that jaw-bones of the tuatara lizard 
have been found in a number of middens and old steam-ovens on. the 
Miramar Peninsula. It is quite possible that the former inhabitants of 
these parts utilized the creature as a part of their food-supplies, as the 
natives of the Bay of Plenty district undoubtedly did. At some time in 
the past the tuatara must have existed here in considerable numbers, and 
some were caught by early settlers, as recorded in various publications. 
One was seen on Somes Island about the year 1877, and the writer has been 
informed that one was actually caught am.ong rocks above high-water mark 
at Miramar in 1916. 
Bones and fragments of egg-shell of the moa have also been found at 
Miramar, and at least one implement of moa bone, though there does not 
appear to be any conclusive evidence that these creatures existed here 
since the advent of the Maori. 
The Owhiro Middens. 
Two interesting middens formerly existed at the mouth of the Owhiro 
Stream, a short distance west of Island Bay, but both are now practically 
things of the past, owing to the attentions of sand-carters. On the western 
side of the stream, are the scant remains of a talus midden, the natives 
having evidently lived on the spur above and thrown their refuse over the 
head of the steep bluff. Sand-shovelling operations exposed the buried 
shells. On the eastern side of the little bay was another talus midden, as 
also a village-site. This has been one of the favoured places of residence 
in former times. Such refuse-heaps naturally afford no evidence as to 
the vegetable-food supplies of the natives who formerly occupied these 
hamlets, except in the case of large waterworn stones that were used as 
anvils for pounding roots on, the edible rhizome of the common fern or 
bracken ( Eteris aquilina). In these middens fish-bones were found to be 
numerous, and bird-bones were also seen, as also part of a skull of Delphinus 
forsteri. The following shells were found : Turbo smaragdus, Haliotis iris, 
H. australis , Helcioniscus , Thais haustrum, Astraea sulcata, Cominella, 
Monodonta, Chione stutchburyi, Evechinus, and Mytilus. Of these, Turbo 
were seen in the greatest numbers, while Haliotis and Helcioniscus shells 
were also numerous. Chione and Mytilus were of rare occurrence, and the 
fragile shells of Evechinus were, as usual, only seen in the form of frag¬ 
ments, for two obvious reasons. Astraea . are much more numerous in 
Porirua middens than, in local ones. Such small shells as Monodonta and 
Turritella do not represent a former food-supply, but they were collected 
by children, who are said to have eaten them as a sort of ’tween-meals 
recreation, much as many of us were wont to consume such berries as 
those of supplejack, honini, tuhuhi, and tatva. 
Other objects found in these Owhiro middens were the jaw-bone of a 
dog, pieces of worked whales’ bone and of pumice, an autoru or stone ochre- 
muller, and many sharp-edged flakes of greywacke showing marks of per¬ 
cussion. A stone hammer was also found, while waterworn oven-stones, 
manv of them fractured bv fire, were numerous. A diminutive and 
beautifully formed greenstone chisel or graving-tool was found in the 
midden on the western side of the creek. 
The small shell-midden formerly seen at Sinclair Head has been ob 
literated by debris from the steep hillside above, but an old village-site at 
the mouth of the Karori Stream is still in evidence, and has furnished a 
number of stone implements to the relic-seeker. Farther on, at Wai-ariki, 
Oterongo, Ohau, Te Ika-a-Maru, and Owhariu, are seen small shell-heaps 
