Once thought to be a small moa, the adzebill is now thought to be more closely related to cranes. However, like the moa this bird was flightless, only found in New Zealand and is now extinct. Two species are believed to have existed – one on the North Island, the other on the South. These bones are phalanges and are in a subfossil state. From the collection of Dr John Teschemaker of Exmouth, donated by his family in 1869. The register notes that these small bones were found with some fragments of egg shell (sadly we no longer have these in the collection) ‘with three perfect skeletons of moas on Fenwick’s Run, Otepopo, Otago’. Whilst the name in the register suggests these are from the North Island species of adzebill, the collection location is on the South Island. We are not sure which is correct.
