A RARE DISCOVERY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23006, 8 October 1936, Page 10

A RARE DISCOVERY

FOSSILISED EGG OF MOA LINK WITH DISTANT PAST (Per United Press Association) NAPIER. Oct. 7. The very rare and probably unique discovery of the fossilised egg of a moa was made yesterday by workmen engaged in quarrying at the lime works in the locality generally known as "The Caves." Unfortunately the shell was fractured, but hopes are entertained that it can be pieced together. The find should be of considerable interest to geologists. It was made by Mr J. L Jorgenson, quarryman for Lime Hydraters, Ltd., who had just fired a shot of explosive to bring down portion of a cliff face. He was engaged m picking off protruding portions of the new face when his pick slipped through soft material. A close examination revealed that the lip of his pick had pierced an egg-shell which was about five inches in diameter and was later identified as a moa's egg. Particular interest centres in the find, for 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 in that locality vegetation at a considerably lower level than at present. The egg was embedded in a large lump of rock, fossilised vegetation, and limestone.

With the fossil were found the remains of 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 in the locality at the same time as the moa egg it indicates that, contrary t& the common belief, the moa was not extinct before the advent of the Maoris." he said.