THE MOA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8861, 19 July 1890, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE MOA.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sm,—l read with pleasure the Rev. J. Christie's paper en the " Geological Demonstration of the Moa's Glacial Extinction," reported in your supplement of last Saturday; but I fear Mr Chistie's " Demonstration " is neither logical nor scientific. He deals with facts, meant to be scientific, in a rather loose manner, and makes a good maDy untenable statements. He says, for instance, that the land now called New Zealand was raised abovo the sea level by volcanic action in the early Plioceuo ago, and that " the topmost layer is a deposit of basalt, fragments of which still cap our hills." I hardly think anyone with a fair knowledge of geology will accept that statement. It is true that New Zealand has suffered a good deal of volcanic action, and in many places not only does basalt cap the hills, but many bills sro entirely composed of baßalt; but the backbone ronges ore not bisaltic. Whence came the granites of the We3t Coast of this island and the mica schists of Central Otago, if the land surface is to be accounted for from volcanic upheaval exclusively? I should liko Mr Christie to explain that. Before the glacial period, Mr Christie says, the general surface of the country would ba about 2000 ft higher tbaa our present valleys; but wl-at of the glacial gorges hollowed out in the country surrounding Milford Sound —taking a single sample—through from six to seven thousand feet of granite ? While the softer Waikouaiti country, which Mr Christie seems to base his generalisations upon, was being cut down 2000 ft, what agency cut down this granite country 7000 ft? Agaiu, he says that the Pliocene sge was brought to an " abrupt conclusion—an Arctic winter descended upon the land. All animals were at onco frozen to death and their carcases entombed in ice hundreds and thousands of feet in thickness." How, again, does Mr Christie account for this extraordinary occurrence, and by what agency was this miracle performed? As Professor Parker had to point out to the rev. gentleman that the question of the extinction of the moa was a biological as well as a geological one, I would also like to point out to Mr Christie that the occurrence of glacial periods has an astronomical as well as a geological phase. According to Dr Croll, who doubtless took the trouble to get logical supporting evidence before putting forth theories, the last great glacial period " occurred about 240,000 years ago, and endured, -with slight alterations of climate, for about 160,000 years." Then how have the moa remains in the Otago Museum been so miraculously preserved throughout nearly a quarter of a million years! I fear in his " demonstration of the moa's glacial extinction" Mr Chrißtio has discovered a veritable " mare's nest."— l am, &o.i July 15. El. A. Joseph,