Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1875-06-06

"A careful search was made while ey-
amining the caverns at Moa- bone Point
for human remains. DR.. Hast saws:
Hitherto we had not been successful
either in obtaining human bones or Maori
objects of any value, which hoped might
have been placed in cache similar to
those found in carefully excavated hiding
| places in the moa hunters land afterward
MaorD encampments at the Rahaia.
However, that evening we came upon
skeleton of a Maori, which evidently had
been buried a considerable time" The
Maoris constituted tribe of natives that
once occupied this region. The human
skeleton here found is full six feet in
height and is mounted erect by the side
of the tallest moa skeleton in the Christ
Church Museum. From aphotograph of
this particular view, l tind by measuring,
| that the bird is about fourteen feet in
height. The neck is much shorter pro-
portionately than the living ostrich. The
enormous size of the trunk and leg bones
of this moa strikes the observer particu-
larly. This six-foot man could easily
walk between the legs of the bird without
STOPPING. The width across tie knee of
the moa is as much as any diameter seen
on the human skeleton.
On examining some of the smaller
caves connected with the large main cav
ern there were found bones of the moas
mixed with those of smaller and common
species of sea-birds, many of them show
ing effects of fire and cutting implements.
These caves were no doubt used for hui
man occupation, and the bones of the
great as we'll as small birds show that they
were brought there for food. They OBJ
tanned here, mostly imbedded in the ma
rine sand, the bones of the left leg be-
longing to an enormous specimen of Fury
apteryx. The tibia and femur had been
broken in the usual manner for the ex-
traction of the marrow, while the meta
tarsus was entire and very much calcined
at its lower extremity. The fibula was
found to be broken in several places, as
would happen by breaking The tibia with
the former bone still attached. None of
the bones were calcined excepting those
which were not covered with flesh, that is,
the lower parts including the feet. This
circumstance points to a ease of broiled
fowl of extraordinary dimensions. With
these, specimens of obsidian spear heads
were found, which clearly indicate the
method used by the moa hunters to cap
ture the birds.
The discovery of the skeletons of birds
so gigantic in size furnishes an interesting
confirmation of the theories of Professor
Hitchcock, of Massachusetts,, whose an
nouncement quarter of century earlier
astonished the scientific world About
the year 1886 attention was directed to
numerous imprints Of trifd character
which appeared upon the sandstone of
the Connecticut River Valley. They were
thought to resemble foot prints of gigan-
| tic birds. Dr. Deane, of Greenfield, COM
municated the fact to Professor Hitch
cock, President of Amherst College, who
Immediately set about working out the
subject in scientific manner. The first
account was published in 1886 in ST.
liman's Journal. The tracks were OBJ
served to be tridactylous, or three-toed
but in many instances there were signs of
an imprint of fourth toe, directed back
ward At this time no bird, living or fossil,
was known that could produce so large an
impression or footprint, the ostrich being
the nearest approach thereto. Similar
ot-prints have since been found in New
Jersey and in Pennsylvania where extern
sive quarrying has been done in argila-
ceous sandstones.
The largest and finest specimens oc-
Cured at Turner's Falls, Massachusetts,
In some instances several hundred foot
prints were observed in small space,
representing several species, and the
whole surface was pitted by rain-drops
The largest impressions are fifteen inches
in length and ten in width, exclusive of
the hind claw, which is two inches long.
In consecutive series which was observed
on larger slabs, where five or six prints
were formed, the stride was found to be
from four to five feet.
In the absence of any other relics, no
bones having at this time been found,
naturalists were shy of receiving these
facts as bearing upon the former exist
ence of birds of gigantic proportions.
The matter is now made entirely clear by
the discovery of the moas, though they
are at the "other end of the world"
Without attempting to explain why there
should be no relics of bones in the sand
stone region of Massachusetts,, we may
remark that the great caverns, wherever
they are found, are usually the depository
of such objects, certain conditions favor
ing their preservation, while in the New
England States there are no natural cata-
combs or caves. The geological changes
in our part of the world, too, probably
have had much to do with the complete
dispersion of such forms.
There were found, besides the foot
prints of birds, of which thirty-two spe-
cies were enumerated, those of twelve
species of quadrupeds, the latter being
mostly of reptiles.
In some instances the impression showed
distinctly the marks natural to the skin
of the under side of the foot; and further
proof of their bird character was fur
nished in the droppings or excrement,
called, when fossil, coprolites, which was
analysed by Professor Dana, and found
to contain the proportion of uric acid and
other constituents which characterize
guano. ..i,
The first information concerning the
discovery of the moas of New Zealand
came to the hands of science about the
wear 1889. Mr.. Mantell, F. r. g., of Eng
| land. communicated an account of some
specimens of bones which were obtained
by his son, who was residing in Yelling
ton. New Zealand. The Maoris or natives
we're acquainted with the occurrence of
these bones long before the settlement by
Europeans. Traditions were rife among
them that the moas had served their an
cestors with food, and stories were told OF
the hunting excursions to procure them.