258 Transactions. — Zoology. 



species. In many localities where it was formerly abundant it 

 has been entirely superseded by M. decumanus, but it is said 

 that in some parts of Germany it has been lately reasserting 

 itself." 



This article is, I believe, contributed by Mr. Oldfield 

 Thomas. A figure of the heads of these two rats is also 

 given. 



In answer to my inquiries, Dr. James Hudson, of Nelson, 

 writes, under date 18th September, 1894, — 



"The migration of rats which occurred here in 1884, and 

 which Meeson reported, was certainly a dark rat, but not 

 'black.' It was very much smaller than the ordinary Nor- 

 wegian rat — in fact, about midway in size between a mouse 

 and that animal. It was again fairly numerous in 1888, and 

 occasionally since, but is very scarce just now. The Maoris 

 here called it the native rat. When I get a good specimen I 

 will send it to you. The only two kinds of rats I have any 

 knowledge of here are this small rat and the ordinary Norway 



rat." 



Note I. — Mr. Grindell, as above quoted, says " pohawaiki" 

 is the same animal as " kiore pakeha." Which animal is he 

 meaning, M. decumanus or rattus ? I suppose he refers to 

 M. decumanus, for you notice how these terms have different 

 values according to the species prevalent in districts wide 

 apart. If we take Dr. Dieffenbach's report in 1840, "kiore 

 pakeha" is M. rattus, which no doubt was the correct name 

 in north New Zealand at that time. M. decumanus was 

 probably found only on the coast, near the larger harbours, at 

 that date. Dieffenbach writes " kiore pakea." He drops the 

 "h" in most Maori words as written now. 



Note II. — Hunting the water-rat. — At times this rat, 

 when exhausted by diving, would come to the surface, keeping 

 its body inclined perpendicularly, and remain seemingly 

 perfectly motionless, with only the small pointed tip of the 

 nose and nostrils at the junction of air and water, so getting 

 a breathing-space, till the disturbed mud cleared away and he 

 was detected. The hair would be wet, and plastered close to 

 the body, illustrating the old saying, " As wet as a drowned 

 rat." 



The name " kiore " would seem the general term signifying 

 "rat" throughout Polynesia — as Samoan, 'iole; Tahitian, 

 tore, a rat ; Hawaiian, iole, a mouse ; iole nui, a rat or rabbit 

 (nui, large). 



Of other words meaning "rat," besides " pouhawaiki," 

 are "hinamoki," which would seem an older form, taking 

 notice of the Moriori word hinamoko, to squeak. Investigating 

 the structure or composition of hina-moki, we find hina, grey 

 hair of the head, which would seem to mean white rather 



