GIANT MOA

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 84, 6 October 1936, Page 9

GIANT MOA

FOUND AT WANGANUI

LARGEST NORTHERN SPECIES

With its head almost touching the second-floor ceiling of the Wanganui rlfcseum, a giant skeleton, recently assembled by the curator, Mr. G. Shepherd, may now be viewed by the public, states the "Wanganui Herald." The gigantic bird is 10ft sJin hight and is the first and only skeleton of its kind ever completed. " ' ' .

The bones of this moa (Dinornis giganticus) were removed'in February last from a deposit on Mr. Todd's property at Makirikiri' and after months of patient work,! Mr. Shepherd has completed a, skeleton which is a valuable addition to the Wanganui Museum and a credit to his skill as an articulator. . The completed skeleton gives a splendid idea of the giant birds which used to roam the country within ten miles of the city of Wanganui,, perhaps long before New Zealand^Was -inhabited by man. ~':.■.,•.! V,"'-.. Mr. Shepherd estimates tha^t 'in the flesh, the moa whose-skeletph' hft] has just assembled, must ..have Vstpqd* 10ft 7in in height, and could'have stretched at least another two-feetowhenifeeding off the tops of .trees.l. ;■:.. .;..C,_-..

Records show that only small parts of this species,: the largest known to have existed in the North Island, have been found in other parts, /n'aifteiy, a» Te Aute, Hawke's Bay; ' and!; In the Rimutakas. It was equal in :size to the largest South Island nioa'arid'.the condition of the bones indicate, that it has been extinct for a very, longtime. Very few people know" that there were two families.,of,moa., (comprising five genera., .The^ first, family, the dinornis group, .comprise all' the larger birds, of which 'the'Wanganui Museum will have four out,of the five "recognised species wheri :all,th,e birds'have been assembled.. -The! -;second family comprises all the small birds. Of this family,'th'e muWeuW :has one of the emu species, oue1 pg:-the euryapteryx species, and will ■■■-. have two of" the anomalopteryx species when • work is completed. : • ■ • > ■. . ' ...... It is interesting to note that of the 21 species of moa known'•to; have existed in New Zealand, indications, point to the fact that most of th'eitt have occurred in the Wanganui district at one time or another. The Wainganui Museum has bones of practically- all the recognised North Island species and others in addition. The skeleton recently completed by Mr. Shepherd is the sixth mtoa skeleton assembled at the museum,;'end .these ■together with the large' of bones which have been collected, will provide' valuable fbfcVmoa study and research for many years to come.