Downes. — Eels and Eel-weirs. 301 



12 lb., and the largest was, according to native measurement, 6 ft. 1 in. in 

 length and 20 in. in circumference. I went down to the Ngutu-wera settle- 

 ment immediately I heard of the capture, but found the large eel had been 

 taken to Waitotara. It was found dead in the poha (leading-net), where 

 it had been jammed by sticks and debris. The rest of the catch was 

 emptied out for my inspection, but as far as I could judge by match-light, 

 although they were called ruahine, they were very similar to tuna~ngdhuru 

 except in the matter of size. 



Although the natives here affirm that tuna-ngahuru and tuna-riri are 

 different varieties, I am not at all sure that this is so. I have seen both 

 eels, but not in the same year, and, as far as I remember, they showed the 

 differences as described ; but different localities and conditions may have 

 caused the slight variation that is to be found. However, to the natives 

 they go under different names, and they readily detect the difference. 



According to Te Whatahoro, a well-informed native of the East Coast 

 tribes who has contributed largely to our store of Maori information through 

 the Polynesian Society, the names of the tuna-heke and the order in which 

 they go down the East Coast rivers are as follows :— 



' The first and smallest to be taken on the East Coast pa-tuna is tutuna, 

 called tuna-riki by the Waikato people. It goes down the river-; during 

 November, December, January, and February. It is the smallest of all 

 the eels. 



' The next is tuna-hau, also a small eel, about 18 in. long and 1 in. 

 through. It is dark-skinned, with a fine head and large eye. It is of 

 exceptionally fine flavour, and is usually cooked by the rara method. It 

 is one of the best varieties to dry, and will keep in good condition all the 

 year. It is prepared for this process of preserving by the finger being- 

 inserted down the throat and the entrails dragged out through the mouth, 

 great care being taken not to injure the skin, as that would allow the flies 

 to enter. Soaking brings the fish back to the standard of fresh fish. This 

 eel is considered and reserved as a special food for chiefs and visitors. 



" Next comes the mata-moe (sleeping-eye), about 2 ft. 6 in. long and the 

 thickness of one's wrist. It is taken from sandy or stony rivers, and is 

 very fat and good. It occasionally takes bait (mounu), but is one of the 

 fine-head and migrating varieties. There is a sort of film over the eyes 

 of this eel, giving it a blind appearance ; hence its name. It is taken from 

 November to May, but is not common. 



'' Next conies tuna-reko. This eel has a silver belly and is of a light- 

 grey colour. It also is somewhat scarce, and goes down during February 

 and March. 



" After tuna-reko comes kokopu-tuna and ruahine, which go down together. 

 They are both large (about 5 ft. long), but ruahine has a fine head and is 

 soft and fat, while kokopu-tuna is coarse and has a head resembling the 

 bull-dog type of the tuna-toke varieties. It has to be handled carefully, 

 as it will endeavour to bite, and when it does so the episode will long be 

 remembered. I once saw an old man named Horomona who had been 

 bitten on the shoulder as a child, when bathing in the Parapara-kino 

 River, South Island, by this eel. It must have been an ugly flesh-wound, 

 for even in old age there was a long deep scar. I disbelieved the story 

 at the time, but have since then heard of others who could speak from 

 experience in regard to an eel-bite. I myself was bitten as a youth when 

 trying to extract the hook by which a large eel had been caught, but it 

 was, I think, tuna-puharakeke that got hold of me on that occasion. 



