White. — Oji the Native Dog of New Zealand. 547 



of a dirty white in colour. A very ugly brute, but then some 

 of his ugliness may be put down to bad stuffing. I think that 

 the really reliable evidence as to the hair of the uncrossed 

 Maori dog must be sought in the British Museum, or in some 

 such place, containing cloaks, &c., sent Home a hundred years 

 ago."* 



Mr. A. Hamilton, formerly of Napier, tells me that he 

 took a well-preserved skull of a dog from a Maori kitchen- 

 midden near Shag Point or Eiver, and that it was " about 

 the size of that of an ordinary sheep-dog." This he for- 

 warded to the Christchurch Museum ; but I have been unable 

 to ascertain what was the result of a scientific examination 

 of it. I will now give the information gained as answers to 

 my letter in the Otago Witness : — 



Mr. Charles Goodall, Lora Valley, Hokonui, writes, " In 

 the sixties the native dog was common enough in Southland, 

 more so in the lake districts and the Umbrellas close to 

 Switzer's Diggings. About 1861 I and mate were within five 

 chains of four in a pack. These dogs were all white, and 

 about the size of a moderate-sized colley dog, with, as near as 

 I could tell, bushy curved tails. Apart from this, a shepherd 

 there named Sutherland killed many, and I had seen one 

 which he killed, and handled it. This dog was white, marked 

 with beautiful light orange-yellow spots over eyes, feet, and 

 nose, with bushy tail. As near as I remember, this dog's hair 

 was smooth, but close, with prick or straight ears. At that 

 time I thought it was the most beautiful dog I had ever seen. 

 In size and shape it was a counterpart of a fair-sized colley. 

 And I have heard of this dog being domesticated, but it always 

 seemed inclined to go away. I may also state that I have 

 heard them howling very often, but never heard them bark — 

 in fact, I do not think they could bark. On the other hand, 

 while at Waikawa, in the sixties, I have seen scores of the 

 so-called wild dog, and killed some, as the place was full of 

 them and wild pigs. But these were dogs, I think, that had 

 got away from the whalers or Maoris, as there were all sorts 

 among them. These dogs used to destroy the sheep whole- 

 sale, and many the night have I been camped out with 

 kangaroo-dogs and gun trying to save the sheep from their 

 rapacity. I would conclude by saying that I see no reason 

 why the native Maori dog should not be in existence yet, in 

 some of the back mountain-ranges." 



Mr. Richard Norman, Albert Town, writes, " Mr. Robert 



* I have inquired of a friend on the staff at the British Museum about 

 dogskins taken Home by Captain Cook: he says, "Have gone into the 

 matter carefully, and find that no such skins or mats are in the 

 Museum."— T. W. 



