Beattie. — Kature-lore of tjie Southern Maori. 57 



The pioneer rimholders on the Waimea Plain found '' futtahs " [ivhata 

 = storehouse) k^ft by former Maori inhabitants. These whata were erected 

 on the top of two stout, high posts, each of which had a nick round it about 

 18 in. from the ground to prevent the rats from getting up to the provisions, 

 so evidently the Maori rat had some sort of predilection for Maori food, 

 notwithstanding it was reputedly frugivorous. 



Settlers of the late " fifties " speak of the plague of rats that overran 

 Otago, but I presume these were European rats. On the subject of the 

 h'ore, or Maori rat, like that of the kuri, or Maori dog, we could do with 

 much more information. 



The Mutton-birds. 



The titi (mutton-bird) is a favourite item of food with Maori and pakelia 

 alike. The edible qualities of this bird were, I was told, unknown to 

 the Waitaha and Kati-Mamoe Tribes. It was the first two Kai-Tahu 

 visitors to Ruapuke who discovered that the pi-titi (young mutton-birds) 

 were good eating. Ruapuke was then uninhabited, and these two chiefs, 

 Potoma and Rerewhakaupoko (two of the titi islands are named after 

 them), visited it, and on the small adjacent island of Papatea saw rua (holes) 

 and inserted their hands and pulled out the plump young titi. It is said 

 that they preserved the mutton-birds and some human flesh in alternate 

 layers in a poha (bag) made of rimu (kelp), and that those to whom it" was 

 given as, a kaihaukai (gift of food) relished it exceedingly. This was, as 

 far as can be ascertained, about two hundred years ago, and since then 

 he poha-titi (a kelp bag) has always been the receptacle to hold these birds, 

 fat being poured over the contents and acting as an efficient preservative 



A very old, Maori said to me, "March is the season for mutton-birds, 

 and I went after them many years ago although I have never been inland 

 after weka. Titi was the general name for mutton - birds, but a small 

 kind was called koruri, and there were other kinds whose names I cannot 

 recall." 



Another said, " There are three principal kinds of mutton-birds. The 

 chief one is a black bird, and is simply called titi ; another kind is black- 

 and-white, and is called titi-wainui ; and another kind is titi-ariki. This 

 is a grey bird, and is very scarce." 



Still another remarked, " I know no legends about the titi and .its 

 catching, killing, or preserving. A small kind is called korure, and the kind 

 known as ivainui is rather rare." This informant went on to say that some 

 of the .larger titi islands were divided into manu, or bird-preserves, for 

 different families. For instance, on Herekopare Island there were five 

 manu — viz., Te Tihi, Kuri, Te Upoko-o-Tamairaki, Hotunui, and Te Ahi- 

 o-Pere. 



There was evidently some etiquette observed about taking the titi, as 

 an old and respected Maori of the South received his name from the 

 following circumstance. It was the rule that one party arriving on an 

 island before the other parties entitled to do so should wait until the 

 arrival of all before starting operations. In this case the first party 

 caught some birds at once and were roasting them when another party 

 came. High words led to blows, and my informant's mother joined in the 

 melee with a kohikii (a skewer or stick used to roast birds before a fire), 

 and in consequence when he was born a few months later he was called 

 Kohiku Titi. 



I was told that the general name for the islands round Stewart Island 

 was Mai-ko-kai, meaning that they were places to come to for food. 

 (Perhaps this name should be Mahika-kai.) 



