118 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



bottom, as Matawhaura towers above Korokitewao. (" Montes 

 parturiunt, et iiascitur ridiculus mus." The Heidelberg tun.) 

 There are proverbs in use indicating characteristic pecuK- 

 arities of different tribes — in fact, ahnost every tribe has one or 

 more of such proverbs : " Ngatipaoa, taringa rahirahi " 

 (" Ngatipaoa of the thin ears ") : By which is meant that a 

 distinguishing trait in the character of this tribe is sensitive- 

 ness to shght or insuh, — easily offended by a word. " Waikato 

 tamioha-rau " ("Waikato of the hundred heroes, or great 

 ones " — i.\s a tribe having a great number of illustrious chiefs). 

 " Ngatiawa kowhao rau " (" Ngatiawa of the hundred holes, 

 or hiding-places " — As a tribe difficult to dislodge, or as fertile 

 in resources). Eangitihi, upoko whakahirahira " (" Eangi- 

 tihi the arrogant, haughty-headed one "). "Eangitihi te upoko 

 i takaia ki te akatea " (" Eangitihi the hard-headed — tbe aka- 

 bound head "). 



It may be said that there is scarcely an incident or cir- 

 cumstance in Maori life which has not a proverb to fit it. It 

 is anmsing sometimes to listen to two or three adepts in the 

 use of proverbs sparring together, giving and taking the most 

 severe cuts with perfect good-humour : " He aha ma te kopiri 

 nei?" ("What has tins little go-by-the-ground to say?"). 

 " Nui puwhawha; iti kahikatoa " ("Yes, big and squashy ; 

 little and tough, as the kahikatoa"). " Ko te kai man e 

 pahure ne "' (" You are all there, at the trencher"). " E toe 

 mai ranei ia koe?" ("Will you leave anything?"). " Kei 

 pakaru te taha raumati " (" Take care of that summer-grown 

 calabash of yours [thin skull]").. " Kia ata whakawiri i te 

 ngehingehi " ("Gently there! don't twist your ngeliingehi 

 too tightly ") : said of a singer who tries to squeeze out a high 

 note. The "ngehingehi" is used to express the oil of the 

 titoki-berry by twisting, and when twisted tightly makes a 

 squeaking noise. 



I will close my selection of specimens of the Maori pro- 

 verb with one which shows that the Maori realised and 

 acknowledged the advantage which the gentler has over the 

 sterner sex in the matter of personal attractions. He has this 

 proverb : " He pai tangata, ekore e reia ; he kino wahine, ka 

 reia " (" The handsome man will not be run after [have ad- 

 mirers of the opposite sex] , while the plain ("or ugly] woman 

 will be run after [have plenty of lovers] "). 



