In a collection of moa bones gathered from the bottom of a fissure in limestone rocks at Timaru he found the remains of a smaller bird's tibia and humerus.
The tibia attracted his attention on account of the unusual size of the museulac processes on it showing that the leg muscles were extraordinarily strong, and he named the genus to which it belonged Cnemiornis, a contracted word, by which he intended to denote ''a genus of wingless birds remarkable for the size of the processes of the tibia''.
The specific name he selected was ''calcitrans'', which means kicker. His line of reasoning was that the processes on the leg-bone were caused by strong muscles, and that strong muscles were used for violent kicking.
Cnemiornis calcitrans has left its bones in many places. One of the most notable discoveries of them was in the Earnscleugh Cave, Central Otago, where the Hon. Captain Fraser found a skull, several vertebrae, a breast-bone, a femur, ribs, and other bones.
In other districts the goose's remains frequently have been found in cave deposits.
The Hon. Walter Rothschild includes the goose in his ''Extinct Birds'', but does not attempt to figure it in the illustrations, and his description is the height of brevity:- ''Skull short and massive; beak rounded and short; limb-bones very stout; power of flight absent.''
Its closest ally apparently is the Cape Barren goose, of Australia, a bird that is still in existence.
• Captain J. Roderique of Riverton, and Mr J. Black, of Orepuki, have returned from a prospecting trip to the West Coast, says the Western Star. They have brought back some very fine specimens of marble and building stone.
They traced the marble outcrop for half a mile, the reef being of great width and depth. The building stone is of very fine quality. They intend to have both specimens tested.
The reefs are situated on the banks of one of the best sounds where the biggest of ships could berth with safety at a very small expense, while a fine stream of water exists, which would give sufficient power to drive the most powerful machinery.
There is said to be a good market for both these materials, which are imported generally from Italy and Australia.
• A butcher's assistant was delivering an order at the residence of a customer in the city when a rather singular incident occurred. He had been in the habit of bringing some meat for the household cat, a large black animal, which was usually waiting on a gatepost for the arrival of its commissariat.
On this particular morning the butcher was riding up the entry to the back door, when all at once his horse commenced to buck and plunge violently, nearly unseating the rider and his basket.
Glancing round to see what had caused this unusual display on the part of his steed, the butcher found that the cat had sprung from the gatepost, landing fairly on the horse's back, into which it stuck its claws to ensure a good hold, and was making its way to the meat basket.
• A new smoke helmet is now being tried by the members of the Auckland City Fire Brigade. It is made entirely of asbestos, with the exception of two glass panes in front, and its total weight is not more than 4lb. It fits closely over the face, leaving the ears exposed.
- ODT, 31.5.1913
