The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-18
NEW ZEALAND'S BIG BIRD
REMAINS THAT EXIST OF THE
GIANT MOA.
studies that Fave Been Made-Collec-
tions Formed Belief that the Bird
Nay stul Exist.
From the Neao York Times.

lions Formed Belief that the Bird
Nav Still Exist.
From the Nes0 York Times.
LONDON, Oct. 3.-Some time ago, writ
ing from New Zealand. gave an account
If some pecuharities in the animal life of
Australasia, and alluded briefly to certain
facts concerning the mOa, the extinct giant
bird or DinOraiS, of New Zealand. On
looking over my note books of observations
in the South seas, find some further items
on the subject which may be Of interest to
American readers. l was sitting in my
room at the hotel in Dunedin. just before
leaving New Zealand, when the cards of
Two gentlemen were brought up, and were
speedily followed by the gentlemen them
selves. Their appearance was not friendly.
One of them carried in his baud heavy
club about three feet long, curiously and
uncomfortably knobbed at both ends, and
the other had bag, in which, as he shook
it, was heard the rafting of stones that
were evidently Of considerable size.
Il soon appeared, however, that their in
tAntions we're entirely pacific, and that their
armament. although formidable in appear
apcs. was symbol of peace rather than of
war. AS it turned out, that which 1 had
taken for a club was birds "drumstick, -
and the bag of stones was the grinding ma
chinery from the zzard OF a fowl of the
same species, and both were at once given
to me by the amiable gentleman who had
brought them, as a curious souvenir OF my
New Zealand wanderings. ! first examined
the bone. 1t was nearly as long as
nv leg from ankle to hip, hard as
iron, and in perfect preservation, save for
a 'nickn on one side, apparently caused
by blow from an ak. Such, in fact, was
the case, for the bone had been discovered
lust below a surface layer of leaves and
thin earth by some men who had been clear
ing brush, and who learned of its existence
bv the resistance which it gave to the
chance stroke Of Ratchet. Its dimensions
showed that it originally belonged to a bird
at least 10 feet high. AMI | was pleased to
see, in visits to the museums at Dunedin and
Christchurch (which have the largest col
lections Of moa remains in the world, that
no thigh bone equal in size TO that which
was given to me appeared in them.
The gentleman VINO carried the bag then
empted its contents upon the table. Out
came q small avalanche of quartz pebbles,
worn smooth and glistening by long attri-
ton. We counted them; there were $3.50
IA
that the bird from whose gizzard they came
was of chronological turn of mind, and
had swallowed stone for each day of the
year. the 366th pebble indicating that the
year he was counting off was leap year.
This scientific fact had not previously oc-
Cured to the gentlemen. Occasionally the
lay mind advances a thought in scientific
company. which throws food of illumina-
ton upon subjects that were before hope
I'll ~. L. Il
that these stones were once contained in
the glzzard OF moa, since the soft
parts of the birds body must necessarily
have long ago disappeared. The gentleman
who had found them himself, then said
that, although they were discovered apart
from any bones, they occurred in a pasty
soil which would rapidly absorb osseous
tissue. 1t was not to be expected that any
bones would endure in such locality The
fact that the stones were all found together
IN cluster and intermixed with triturated
vegetable fiber would show their character;
besides which no stones of this quality were
to be found except in this and other clusters
within twenty miles of the spot where he
discovered them. These facts and their very
smooth surfaces showed conclusively that
they had once assisted the digestive proc
esses of the moa. The stones were of all
sizes, from pea up to a fragment nearly
as large as my fist, and weighing half a
pound. | should have much liked to have
seen the bird wrestling with this last speci-
men.
Examinations of these curious specimens
was followed by some interesting state
ments regarding these strange giant birds
of New Zealand. The first discovery of
their remains was made in 1889 by the Rev.
Richard Taylor, F. G.. S., who found in
Maori house the fragment of large bone
which he supposed at first to be human, but
concluded, on examination, to be that Of a
bird. Inquiry of the natives elected the
information that they knew the bone to be
that Of bird; that such bones were not
uncommon, and that they used them in the
manufacture Of their largest fish-hooks.
They also made the somewhat apochryphaI
statement that single specimen of the bird
stlll lived in a cave on a mountain near by;
that it always stood on one leg,
and was guarded by an immense
lizard. This discovery Il mean of the
bone, for the living bird never material
lied, although explorers found plenty of
caves was made on the east coast, where
the natives called the bird the ''tarepo."
Four years later, on the west coast, he
found perfect cemetery of these bones,
ana heard the bird called for the first time
Ihe "moa"-the natives, very singularly,
+N'cA hoflhS u0dTu bu6 udl1o uS0u Dy LD0lf
brethren on the other side of the island. For
long time no specimen could be found of
a moas skull, since the bones of this part of
the body are SO thin and deli
cate as to be easily destroyed. The natives,
however, encouraged him by saying that
tney would procure one. and advanced the
information that the moa's skull was as
large as that Of a horse-sure proof that
they had never seen one, since it Is, in fact,
hoU larger than that of an ostrich, and
eurlously disproportionate to the great
night OF the bird. Finally perfect skele-
Uoh was found, the bones arranged on a
Sahqy plain just as they had lain when the
plro died, the rings Of the windpipe even
peing preserved, and pile CT quartz peb-
vi mes showing the location of the gizzard
rs SKULL, In perfect shane, lay partly i'm
oeuoed In the SOIL and was in q highly
Illaoie condition. Removing # with great
eare' the finder remounted his horse to ride
away, whereupon the animal, possessed of
eGe devil. began to buck" most violently: ;
VI vent the reverend gentleman and away
went the precious skull, and was smashed
osyohu remedy. Since then, however,
many skulls have been found, and appear
IL museums all over New Zealand.
a. ne greatest treasures of moa bones are
we 1lo shell heaps on the west coast, which
nIark the sites Of feasts TO which the Maoris
,esor0ed during the seasons of scanty har-
sS esS' Here they regaled themselves on
;sStH sh, and occasionally, as the mounds
hinGtlcate, varied their diet by a seal, a
tar slave, or moa, the bones of the lat
icing found entire, since they had no
narrow IN them to paw for breaking Ex-