CoLENSO. — Reminiscences of the Ancient Maoris. 453 



for ornamenting the chiefs' carved staffs of rank, made of hard- 

 wood and polished (hani at the north, taiaha -tuid inaipi at the 

 south) , and were hung around the head of the staff" beneath 

 the fixed red feathers taken from under tlie wings of tlie Uirge 

 parrot. A large number of those little flowing hair queues 

 (sometimes thirty or more) would be so hung around a single 

 staff, and they remained in good preservation for many years, 

 only becoming soiled. 



As may naturally be supposed, the ancient Maoris had 

 several proverbs derived from their dogs, all more or less 

 natural, and some notable and laughable. A few specimens I 

 will give : — 



"He More tahuiaJuo" = An often-singed tail. Taken from 

 a skulking dog lying before the fire, and getting its tail 

 repeatedly burnt. Moreover, such a dog would be early killed 

 for food. Used for an idle fellow. 



"lie liiore Jmme" = A tail drawn down beneatii. "He 

 whiore htune tenei tangata' ^- This man is a dog's-tail, clapped 

 under, between its legs (and sneaks away afraid). Used of 

 cowards. N.B. : A very severe saying with a warlike 

 people. 



So that from these sayings we may conclude that the 

 habits and actions of their now unknown Maori dog were 

 much the same as those of other dogs. 



§ V. Of their Animal Pets. 



Besides their little domestic dog the ancient Maoris had 

 five birds which they occasionally kept in captivity — two of 

 them for their prized feathers ; one for use ; one for its com- 

 pany ; and one solely on account of its repeating a taught 

 Maori song or recitation, and possibly, also, for its beauty, 

 and for its prominently possessing in its plumage those two 

 contrast colours (black and white, or nearly so) which were so 

 highly prized by the old Maoris. 



Those two birds kept for their feathers were the huia 

 {Heteraloclia acutirostris) and the kotukn or kautaku ^^ the 

 white heron (Ardca cgrctta). Of these two birds I have seen 

 but very few in captivity, and always pitied them, as they 

 must have had a wretched existence, and that inainly from 

 lack of their proper food, and, in the case of the white heron, 

 the miserable low cage in which the poor bird was confined 

 not permitting it to stand erect. The Maoris might, however, 

 have succeeded better with them in the olden time, when they 

 had less to occupy their time and distract their attention — and 

 perhaps they did so. One acquainted with their thoughts and 

 old manners and customs is led to believe that they so acted, 

 from the fact of their having suitable natural proverbs relating 

 to this bird, showing that they were close observers of its 



