ALLEGED DISCOVERY OF A FOSSIL MONSTER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1950, 1 October 1889, Page 4

ALLEGED DISCOVERY OF A FOSSIL MONSTER.

1 he Ajtaroa Mail of September 24th, publishes some further particulars respecting the discovery of a supposed fossil of unusually large dimensions at Eaupo Bay, near Little Akaloa, on Bank’s Peninsular. The? statement first made, that the fossil was found by some men who were fencing ; is a mistake. Mr ; McHale, a settler on whose property it is, found it some five years ago, and has since spent some considerable time and labor in unearthing portions of the supposed skeletons It is said to extend some fifteen chains, 990 ft in length, and iti about 100 ft above the sea level. The clay has been dug away in seven or : eight places to show the spinal column. The vertebrae are said to be shaped like the screw of a steamer, and their .breadth is about 3ft, increasing morel or less in size towards the skull. The side of what is supposed to be jthe skull baa been uncovered, and an eye hole is apparent. The side is oblong, and is said to be like that which the iguanodon is said to have possessed. Mr McHale carried several detached portions of the remains to his house. Some of the pieces are said to be unmistakeable bone, and others cannot be distinguished from “ petrified clay.” Three pieces form what Mr McHale considers was the fin or paddle of the reptile. These have a covering of volcanic rock. It having been mentioned. that Dr Symes; had inspected the supposed fossil, a representative of this journal called upon him yesterday, and asked him what opinion he had. formed on the matter. Dr Symes "at the outset denied that, he had stated he was of opinion these were the remains of two monsters, a large and a small one. He says that until Mr McHale will allow some of the specimens to he properly examined it is not advisable to express any ©pinion about them. It might, however, be suggested that they probably consist of one or more true bones amongst a large amount of rocky concretions, similar to what were formerly found at Governor’s Bay. He had as yet seen no proof of these specimens having belonged to any large animals, and was inclined to think the majority of the specimens will only be found to be merely rocky concretions and not fossils 1 at all. Dr Symes only saw on® '

specimen, which he codld ®n the spot positively identify as true bone, about nine inches long, and was imbeddedl in hard rock. Professor Hutton and Mr H. 0. Forbes, Curator of the Christchurch Museum, both state that so far as they can judge from the statements made concerning the alleged fossil, i it is nothing more than rocky concretiohs, which are sometimes found ins peculiar shapes. It is about a month ago since Dr Symes visited the scene pf the discevery, arid Mi* McHale protniajed to send some specimens to Christchurch. It is to he hoped that he n[ill do so in order that the question as jto whether the material is true bone lor not may he settled. ,