Colenso. — On the Native Dog of Neiv Zealand. 497 



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Sir G. Grey and Dr. (now Sir James) Hector made, 

 years ago, similar mistakes as I believe you have done. 



"I hope you are keeping well. lam not very well just 

 now, and so am solitary at home ; and thus writing this night 

 to you to be in time for your mail leaving here on 29th. I 

 expect to leave again for the bush about the 10th of January. 

 — Yours, &c, "W. Colenso." 



I have lately received a copy of a recently -published 

 English edition of " Crozet's Voyage to Tasmania," by H. 

 Ling Eouth, which also contains his voyage to New Zealand. 

 It was in this very early visit of the French ships of discovery 

 to this country, in 1771 (directly after that of Cook), that the 

 commander of that expedition (M. Marion du Fresne) was 

 killed, with many of his men, by the New-Zealanders. The 

 French, however, had dwelt with the Maoris for more than a 

 month in amity, and had seen very much of their manners 

 and customs, their arts and manufactures, their food, and the 

 general natural history of the country, all which is clearly 

 and plainly related. And, among other interesting things, 

 Crozet thus writes concerning their native dog : — 



" The only quadrupeds I saw in this country were dogs and 

 rats. The dogs are a sort of domesticated fox, quite black or 

 white, very low on the legs, straight ears, thick tail, long 

 body, full jaws but more pointed than that of the fox, and 

 uttering the same cry ; they do not bark like our dogs. These 

 animals are only fed on fish, and it appears that the savages 

 only raise them for food. Some were taken on board our 

 vessels, but it was impossible to domesticate them like our 

 dogs — they were always treacherous, and bit us frequently. 

 They would have been dangerous to keep where poultry was 

 raised or had to be protected — they would destroy them just 

 like true foxes. They have absolutely no other domestic 

 animal than the dog." (P. 76.) 



And this statement is the more valuable as it concerns the 

 dog of the Bay of Islands, in the North ; while those others, 

 quoted by me in my former paper, observed by Cook and his 

 scientific companions, were from Tolaga Bay on the east coast, 

 and from Queen Charlotte Sound in the Middle Island — all 

 alike tending to show there was but one race or breed. Mr. 

 White indeed says, " There is no reason why the Maori should 

 not have possessed dogs of different breeds and of various 

 shape and size." (Paper, p. 550.) Which, after his fashion, 

 he supports by noticing the many lately-introduced varieties 

 of dog among them at this day. 



One of Mr. White's correspondents — Mr. Skinner, of New 

 Plymouth — in his long letters respecting a dogskin mat 

 (paper, I.e., p. 511), in which he argues from its reputed 

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