Henky. — On Dusky Sound. 53 



the hut and its surroundmgs were covered with a tall grove of 

 koromikos, some of them 3in. thick. Now, I think that if a 

 hardy race of goats existed here they would have altered all 

 this for the better ; they would have kept many grassy open- 

 ings, and made pathways in the bush, to the advantage of the 

 explorer and prospector, and also to the advantage of the 

 ground-birds — because those birds were plentiful at Te Anau 

 for forty miles along the lake, but the best place for them was 

 near grassy openings under Mount Luxmore. There on a 

 quiet evening in 1880 there used to be a perfect din of their 

 various calls, and the individuals were the best of their sort. 

 However, the birds may only be temporary residents here on 

 the mainland ; but one would think that it is the duty of this 

 generation to liberate some suitable animals in this bush. 

 Deer might do, but I think they are too wild and shy, and 

 that a well-clad, hardy race of goats would be best, to pave the 

 way for more useful stock, and, in the meantime, to provide 

 food and sport for the future pioneers. We have often seen 

 goat-skins used as hearth-rugs ; they would make good jackets 

 for this climate, and would be valuable. Some people will 

 object to goats or anything else, for fear of encouraging wild 

 dogs ; but the native dog died out here (though it could have 

 lived well on kakapos), because every cave and den is damp 

 and mouldy, and it would require a special breed of dogs to 

 live here in a wild state. 



We saw the king-fish up the sound. Three big fellows 

 swam round our boat within arm's length, and I knew them. 

 The same day we saw a great company of them right at the 

 head of the sound : that was on the 5th February. The 

 horse-mackerel and mullet were here all the summer in shoals ; 

 also another little fish, which I could not find in either of the 

 books on fishes. They are of some importance, because they 

 have been very plentiful all the time we have been here, and 

 are very good to eat. I call them " latris " for want of a 

 name.* They will not take bait, but come into the shallow 

 water at our door every evening, and just at the last of the 

 light they are easily speared, so that I often get half a dozen 

 in a few minutes ; but with a suitable net they could be caught 

 in thousands. But we only see them round Pigeon Island. 

 Moki are very plentiful, but we only get a few trumpeter 

 now and then. Of course, the cod and groper are plentiful, 

 also butter-fish and barracouta. We were in want of a name 

 for the little prawns like shrimps, and called them "squid." 

 All the fish are after them, and it is wonderful how they can 

 stand it. Wlien we see the mackerel splashing along we know 

 they are after squid ; the mullet, latris, and parrot-fish are 



* Mendesoma Uneata. 



