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roof, but no drip. On the floor of this cave was found a quantity of double-shafted 
feathers of a brown colour, with a light colour down the tube (‘ shaft ’), most plentiful 
1 foot below the surface (indicating the amount of drift-sand blown in since the 
deposition); they appeared to be chiefly in a layer of hard-trodden excrement. Perfect 
droppings were also found in the sand, and a few specimens of a similar outward 
appearance contained undigested vegetable fragments, some of which seemed to be 
branches and stalks of ferns, broken into short pieces of 3 of an inch in length, Tothe 
left of the mouth of the cave, a little higher up the hill, was a crevice of an angular 
form, about 5’ wide and 10’ deep, made by a forward slip of a portion of the hill. In 
this were found bones of a D. robustus, and of some smaller species, and a portion of 
a large egg.” Mr. White conjectures, “ The birds must have fallen or slipped in 
while examining its capabilities as a nesting-place.” 
Resuming the traditional evidence, I shall again quote from the interesting notes 
by the Rev. Mr. Taylor :— 
“The last visit which I paid to Waingongoro was in 1866, in company with Sir 
George Grey. On our arrival there he asked me to show him the place where I dis- 
covered the great deposit of Moa-bones in 1843. I took him at once to the place, and 
to my astonishment I found the hillocks almost as thickly coyered with bones as when 
I first saw them; the wind had uncovered the lower stratum since my former visit. A 
great number of these old ovens were opened; all of us worked in good earnest, and 
no one more heartily than the Governor, A large cloth was spread on the ground, and 
the various articles found were piled upon it. ‘hese were of a very miscellaneous 
character, consisting not only of bones of the Moa and fragments of its eggs, but of 
almost every other bird indigenous to these islands, including those of the Kakapo 
and Kiwi, with chert flakes, fragments of highly polished axes, and other articles. 
‘These ovens seem to have been made in a double line, and to have been used for many 
years, as each layer of ashes was separated by a thin stratum of sand from the one imme- 
diately below, and the number of them was very great. The natives informed me 
that when the Moa-hunt was to take place, notice was given to the neighbouring 
places, inviting them all to the battue. The party then spread out to inclose as large a 
space as possible and drive the birds from their haunts, then gradually contracting the 
line as they approached some lake or swamp, they at last rushed forward with loud 
yells, and drove the frightened birds into the water, where they could be easily 
approached in canoes, and despatched without their being able to make any resistance. 
“These Moa-hunts were doubtless very destructive, as, from the number of men 
employed and the long lines of ovens, the slaughter must haye been very great; and, 
in addition to this, from the large quantity of egg-shells, a clear proof is given that 
they were eagerly sought for and feasted upon. ‘Thus the poor birds had little chance 
of continuing their race.” 

