278 Transactions. 



piloitoi are numerous in the Hangaroa district. They come near our camp, 

 and follow along the survey-lines we cut. They appear to be darker in 

 plumage than the pitoitoi I remember north of Auckland many years ago, 

 and without the white lumps at base of beak." 



When in going hunting or fowling in the forest you hear the cry of the 

 pitoitoi far in the forest-depths, that is a sign of non-success : your trip 

 will be a failure. 



The pihere is taken by means of a trap termed a horapa, or wTiakarapa. 

 To make this trap a piece of supplejack is bent so as to assume a U shape. 

 Across the two ends a stick is lashed so as to cause the supplejack to retain 

 its shape. It is now like a capital U with a closed top. Dried strips of 

 flax are netted on this frame so as to form a net with a mesh small enough 

 to hold such small birds as the miromiro. The trap now resembles an 

 enlarged section of a snow-shoe — not the ski, but the Canadian snow-shoe. 

 The straight cross-piece is termed a hurupae, and its ends project a few 

 inches on either side of the trap. The trap is placed in a vertical position 

 on the ground, the hurupae resting thereon. Two pegs are thrust in an 

 oblique manner into the ground just above and resting on the projecting 

 ends of the kurupae, and on that side of it on which the trapper takes his 

 stand. The trap will probably be held in an upright position by the pegs ; 

 if not, then a slight stick will be used to prop it up. A cord some 30 ft-, 

 in length is attached by one end to the top of the frame of the trap. This 

 cord is passed through a small hoop of supplejack, like a diminutive croquet- 

 hoop, fixed in the ground just in front of the trap. The cord is carried on 

 to the fowler's stand, he holding the end in one hand. In the other hand 

 he holds a stick, with which he keeps striking a block of wood lying on the 

 ground by his side. This tapping attracts the birds. The Natives say that 

 the birds think it to be caused by some person chopping grubs {huhu) from 

 a decayed tree, a common practice in Maoriland. It is a fact that the robins 

 will collect around persons working in the bush, as I know full well, having 

 often watched and fed them under such circumstances. 



A bait of berries, earthworms, or huhu grubs is placed on the ground 

 immediately in front of the standing trap, and close to it, so that the trap 

 covers it when it falls. The birds, attracted by the tapping sound, draw 

 near, and soon espy the bait and flock to it. When many are collected 

 round the bait the fowler pulls the cord, which causes the trap to fall upon 

 the birds and thus imprisons them. The cord, being passed under the little 

 horowhiti, or hoop, holds the trap down close and prevents the birds escaping. 

 All the fowler has to do is to retain his strain on the cord when he advances 

 to secure the birds. 



Other small birds, such as miromiro, &c., are taken at the same time. 

 It is not the pihere alone that is attracted and so taken. No bird is too 

 small to serve as food for the Maori, as witness the taking of the pihipihi. 



Pihipihi ; sy n., Karu-patene {Zoster ops ccerulescens ; Blight-bird, Silver- 

 eye). — This bird appeared in this district before there was any fighting 

 with Europeans in Tuhoeland. It was known here at first as karu-patene 

 (? button-eye). This bird is taken in great numbers in the Rua-tahuna 

 district by the call-leaf and striking process, exactly similar to that method 

 of taking parrakeets termed tanga porete and tanga kakariki, for which see 

 under Kakariki. 



The decoy pihipihi are tied by the beak to the cross-cord with a 

 short string. The fluttering and struggles to escape attract other birds, 

 which perch on the cross-rod, and are struck down by the fowler, who 



