RARE FIND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 8 October 1936, Page 7

RARE FIND

FOSSILISED EGG OF MOA DISCOVERED IN .LIME WORKS iUnited Press Association) ri HASTINGS, 7th October. The very rare, probably unique, find of a fossilised egg of a nioa was made yesterday by workmen engaged in quarrying at lime works in the locality generally known ap “The Caves.” Unfortunately the shell was fractured, but hopes are entertained of its being pieced together, and the find should be one of outstanding note and considerable interest to geologists. The find was made by Air J. L. Jorgenson, a quarrynian for Lime Hydralers, Ltd., who bad just fired a shot of explosive to bring down a portion of the cliff face. He was engaged in picking off protruding portions of the new face when the pick slipped through soft material. Close examination revealed that the tip of the pick had pierced an egg-shell, which was about five inches in diameter, and which later was identified as a moa’s egg. Both Mr A. E. Brooks, manager of the works, and Mr 11. G. Carr, secretary, were particularly interested in the find, Jor it follows the discovery of a number of old trees heavily coated in lime deposits, indicating that at one time in the far distant past there was vegetation at a considerably lower level than at present in that’locality. The egg was imbedded in a large lump of rock, fossilised vegetation and limestone.

With the fossil were found the reof small birds, but the most interesting find of all, in the opinion of Dr. A G. Clark, was the discovery nearby of portions of a gourd which was introduced to New Zealand by the Maoris. “If that gourd was deposited at the locality at the same time as the moa egg.” he said, “it indicates tligt, contrary to the common belief, the moa was not extinct before the advent of (lie Maori.”