Discovery of Moa's Bones at Patea.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 70, 5 March 1895, Page 4

Discovery of Moa's Bones at Patea.

The Rev T. G. H*inmond, the Wesleyan missionary for the native race on the West Coast, and whose occasional lectures on Maori names and traditions prove rare treats, has recently again confirmed bis conviction that themoa was, within a moderately recent period, common along this coast. Whenever travelling the cliffs and sand dunes near the sea, he is ever on the look-out for relics of past generations of New Zealanders, and of implements and animals. His reward is attested in his present home collection of curios. Recently a portion of what for years past had been moving sand dunes near Patea was found to be quite clear and the subsoil exposed. In the several acres of clearing were numerous small heaps of cobble stones, the remains of Maori cooking ovens, as also a few heaps of small flattish but evidently well-worn pebbles. These had at one time performed a very necessary function in the digestive apparatus of the moa. In one case the evidence was complete, for the outline of the bony structure of th 6 bird could be traced from small particles of the skull, lower down the pebbles about where the gizzard would have been, then short lengths of bone indicating both legs, as if the moa had lain down there and died, being afterwards buried in sand drift. The attempt to take out of the ground pieces of over a foot in length of the partly imbedded bone, including one knee joint, led to the crumbling of the larger portion, and thus only pieces some six inches in length were secured. In addition to the longer pieces there was large number of short lengths of leg bone. The two completest lots of bones and gizzard stones were taken away by Mr Hammond in small kits for presentation to friends interested in such finds. A collection of small pieces of bone and a handful or two of the pebbles have been brought to New Plymouth with a view to adding to the High School collection if acceptable. They will, however, be on view at this office for a week or two. — Herald.