Hamilton. — On a Stone Belie. 113 



which line the shores of the sandy neck of land which joins 

 the Mahia Peninsula to the mainland and separates Poverty 

 Bay from Hawke's Bay. The material used is human bone, 

 probably a portion of the femur. It has been rubbed down to 

 form a needle originally about 10 in. long, nearly fin. wide, 

 and about J in. thick. As usual in these needles, only one 

 surface is carved, but the carving is deep, the cuts true and 

 sharp-edged Fortunately, I happen to have a photograph of 

 a perfect specimen which is in the collection of Major-General 

 Bobley in England, and the pattern is so similar that they 

 might have been made by the same artist. They are usually 

 designated " thatching-needles," but I think it more probable 

 that these highly ornamented ones were for ceremonial use, 

 such as stringing the first fruits of a fishing season, to be laid 

 as an offering at the shrine of Tangaroa. Whatever their 

 use, the workmanship is a fresh proof of the artistic capabili- 

 ties of the Maori race in the days of old. 



The length of Major Bobley's specimen is 12Jin. It will 

 be noticed that there are two holes through which the cord is 

 attached. This is characteristic of this kind of bone needle. 

 Even the plain ones actually in use for passing the cords that 

 tie on the bundles of reeds or grass to the roof-timbers of 

 a house have these two holes. The specimen on the left of 

 the plate is less elaborate, and has three openings at the top 

 for the attachment of the cord. The number of holes not only 

 affords a more secure fastening for the short cord which was 

 permanently attached to the needle, but, by distributing the 

 strain, lessens the chance of fracture. The binding-cord was 

 attached to the cord on the needle by a temporary hitch, and 

 was cast loose when drawn through. 



Aet. VII. — On a Stone Belie found at Orepuki, Southland. 



By A. Hamilton. 

 [Read before the Otago Institute, 11th November, 1902.] 



Plate X. 



A very remarkable stone relic has been found at Orepuki, a 

 small township on the shores of Foveaux Strait, in the ex- 

 treme south of New Zealand. In this neighbourhood there are 

 at the present time a few of the surviving Maori people of the 

 South Island, living at Colac Bay and other small settlements. 

 Just opposite, in the western entrance to the strait, is the 

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