Downes. — Eels and Eel-weirs. 315 



For the hinaki that was used for setting at pa-tuna the trap, or return 

 part, was woven separately and laced on the hinaki afterwards, giving a 

 continuation of the poha lead. Otherwise it was made in one piece. Some- 

 times for the bait-setting traps loose ends of vine ran together at the inner 

 end of the net funnel, through which the eels could easily push their way 

 but which securely blocked egress. The common shape was called titika. 

 It was used entirely for catching tuna-toke with bait. In this as in the 

 other shapes all the enlarging or reducing was done by adding or drop- 

 ping strands. Hinaki herehere (fig. 9, a) was another style of trap used 

 for baiting only. The bottle shape with parallel sides bulging at one 

 end was called pae, sometimes tatairangi (fig. 9, b, and Plate XXVIII, 

 figs. 1 and 2), and the large-mouthed hinaki for placing in the pa-tuna, 

 was called whakapuwaii and by some waharoa and aranui (fig. 9, c). This 

 hinaki had usually a lid for both ends to hold eels if used as a storing- 

 basket. 



Puhara and yuwai were baskets made without a trap end, used for 

 keeping eels alive in the water. 



A similar basket for holding live lamprey was called korotete. Occasion- 

 ally these baskets were protected by vine rings tied on outside. A very 

 fine specimen photographed by the writer, lying under a whata tapu (tapu 

 storehouse) at Tawhata, about 120 miles up the Whanganui River, is manu- 

 factured in this manner (Plate XXVIII, fig. 3). 



Hinaki-pitau, a very small trap of the hinaki pattern used for catching 

 whitebait, was very closely woven of a thin vine called kaii* Another net 

 for catching whitebait was called hauwai. It was in shape something like 

 a huge scoop without the handle, and is now obsolete. As a boy I saw one 

 of these used by a woman in the Rangitikei River, but that is the only one 

 I have ever seen. It was made of a rush which I regret to say I have lost 

 the name of. In the Whanganui district the whitebait is called karohe when 

 the shoals first go up-stream in the spring. 



Hinaki and Korotete Patterns. 



There are at least three patterns, with their modifications and variations, 

 used in weaving hinaki and korotete, one of the finest being called ripeka. 

 It is rather complicated, but very strong (see Plate XXIX). The ribs run 

 the whole length of the hinaki in a continuous spiral, and are placed about 

 1 in. apart. It will be seen from the accompanying photograph that the 

 diagonal vines from left bottom corner to right top corner pass round the 

 ribs at each intersection, passing under the two-ply twist that holds all 

 together at the same time. 



Plate XXX shows a modification of the same pattern, the twist round 

 the rib taking place at intervals of between 2 in. and 3 in. Part of tie 

 basket-work was cut away in the original of this illustration in order to 

 show the arrangement of the ribs, which gradually grow stronger towards 

 the middle of the net. 



Plate XXXI shows an elongated variation of the same pattern, and 

 Plate XXXII the common oblong pattern called pakipaki and also heau- 

 rara (? aurara). In the illustration the ribs are shown close together, and 



* The long, slender, and flexuous branches of the young plants of matai (Podo- 

 carpus spicatus), which young trees are called kai and mai by natives, were used in the 

 manufacture of eel-pots. Possibly this is the material alluded to. 



