78 AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGY. 
existence of specimens of other bones was published in 1843. In the 
previous year Dr. Buckland received a letter from the Rev. W. 
Williams, of Poverty Bay. It runs thus :—‘‘ About three years ago, 
on paying a visit to the coast, south of the East Cape, the natives 
showed me some fragments of bone taken out of the beds of rivers, 
which they said belonged to an extraordinary monster they had seen, 
to which they gave the name of ‘*‘Moa” Again I heard the same 
story a little enlarged, that it is guarded by a reptile of the lizard 
species. I offered a large reward for the bird or its protector. At 
length a bone was brought froma river. It was of large size, but 
the extremities were so much worn away, that I could not determine 
anything as to its proper relationship. About two months ago, a 
single bone of smaller size was brought from a freshwater stream 
in this bay. A reward induced the natives to turn up the mud at 
the banks and in the bed of the same river, and soon a large number 
of bones was brought. On a comparison with the bones of a fowl, I 
immediately perceived that they belonged to a bird of a gigantic 
size.” ‘Two cases of these bones were sent to England in two vessels, 
to make sure of one, if not both, being received. The following 
observations were also transmitted :—(1.) None of these bones were 
found on dry land ; they are all from the bed and banks of fresh- 
water rivers. (2.) This bird was in existence here at no very distant 
time, though not in the memory of any of the inhabitants. (3 ) They 
existed in considerable numbers. have received perfect and 
imperfect bones of thirty different birds. (4.) It may be inferred 
that this bird was long lived, and that it was many years before it 
attained its full size. (5.) The greatest height of the bird was 
probably not less than 14 or 16 feet. The leg-bones now sent give 
the height of 6 feet from the root of the tail. It will be seen from 
this letter that Mr. Williams confirmed the traditional statement of 
the natives of New Zealand. He has, therefore, a just claim to 
share in the honour of the discovery of the moa, since, while collecting 
and comparing its osseous remains, he was wholly unaware that its 
more immediate affinities had already been determined in England. 
By means of the specimens first transmitted by Mr, Williams to Dr. 
Buckland, and generously confided to Sir R. Owen, the professor 
was enabled to define the generic characters of the moa, and by his 
obtaining the second consignment of bones, and three specimens sent 
by Dr. Richardson, of Haslar Hospital, evidence was obtained of 
six different species of the genus, ascending respectively from the 
size of the great bustard to that of the dodo, of the emu, of the 
ostrich, and finally attaining a stature far surpassing that of the 
once-deemed most gigantic birds. . 
Wings.—The question of the moa having had wings was 
answered in the negative by Sir R. Owen, after the examination of 
the first fragment of that bird’s bone. The cancellous texture of the 
shaft of the thigh-bone was the index of the presence or absence of 
wings. Had the negative been premature and unfounded, a guess 
rather than a demonstration, its fallacy might have been exposed by 
the very next bone of a moa transmitted from New Zealand, but no 
s 
