280 Transactions . — Miscellaneous . 



was pegged out to dry, once gave me a start ; the united 

 concert was truly diabolical. 



Cattle will also congregate about a spot where blood has 

 "been spilt, or an animal killed, becoming quite mad in actions 

 and bellowings ; they are also dangerous to the wounded of 

 their own kind, or to cows when calving. A cow with freedom 

 to roam will, when calving, wander to a distance, and then 

 hide the young calf in some concealment, herself feeding apart, 

 but coming at times slyly to attend to the calf. It is not 

 exactly safe for any person to come accidentally on this 

 hiding-place. 



Where domestic cattle are allowed to roam in large herds 

 the bulls for a part of the year will leave the herd, and 

 then three or more bulls may be found amicably associated 

 together, notwithstanding their deadly hatred of each other 

 at other seasons. This habit of the males becoming a bache- 

 lor party is also common to the sheep and goat, and may 

 be taken as a good instance or proof that all three animals 

 are descended from the same far-away ancestors. In fighting 

 bulls decide a battle mainly by pushing with their heads 

 locked together, rather than by goring with the horn ; yet 

 the vanquished when in flight may receive stabs if too 

 exhausted to make a speedy retreat. I once saw the hunted 

 bull run into at a right angle, lifted completely off his feet, 

 and hurled down a steep terrace, which terrace had prevented 

 his escape in a direct line. 



Old bulls kept in paddocks (fields) often become very 

 expert in lifting gates from their hinges when they wish to 

 roam about. I had three generations of white bulls, all of 

 whom learned this trick in their third year, when I used them 

 in the bullock team as " polers," and so gave them more 

 travelling than they desired. This would seem an instance 

 of inherited instinct. 



About the year 1860, when I was living near the head- 

 waters of the Oreti, or New Eiver, and the surrounding 

 country was as yet unknown to the pioneer settler or sur- 

 veyor, Messrs. David McKellar and Gunn, neighbouring 

 sheep-farmers, came to my log-and-thatched dwelling and 

 stayed the night with me. They proposed to endeavour to 

 find a way through or over the mountains westward to Mar- 

 tin's "Bay, between the Mavora Lakes and head-waters of the 

 Greenstone Eiver. As I had already found a way to the 

 northern end of the Mavora Valley, I agreed to pilot them 

 thus far, wishing to explore the valley in search of stray 

 cattle. These gentlemen did not reach the West Coast, but 

 their journey is recorded in our maps by the names of Lake 

 McKellar and Lake Gunn. We camped the first night at the 

 head of Mavora Valley, near a small lagoon. The following 



