258 Transactions. 



Albino pigeons are also termed ariki. Koraho ( = white, in the sense of 

 albinism, or of rarity) is an expression often applied to chiefs of the genus 

 homo — as kahu korako, or " white hawk." 



Tawaka and Tata-apopo. — The term tawaka is said to be applied to a 

 large kaka. If it has a very large head it is a tata-apopo. The tata-apopo 

 makes the best decoy-bird for the pae method of taking these parrots, while 

 the tarariki makes the best decoy for the tutu system — of which more anon. 

 The tata-apopo is said to be the male bird, and is known by the large size 

 of its head. 



Flock names : A flock of kaka when flying is termed a pokai kaka, but 

 when settled on a feeding-ground is known as a ivhakarua kaka; though 

 the expression ivJiakama seems to mean, primarily, a place occupied or 

 resorted to by a flock of birds — their feeding-ground, in fact. 



A flock of pigeons (kereru) is alluded to as a tipapa kereru. The word 

 tipapa seems to = whakapapa. A rakau tipapa implies a tree much resorted 

 to by these birds, and on which they are snared. 



A flock of koko birds when flying is termed a iviri koko, but when settled 

 on a feeding-ground is called a hapua koko. This word kapua, like whakarua, 

 means a hollow, and was probably first applied to a feeding-ground. 



A flock of ducks {par era) is termed a kawai par era. Ta is another flock- 

 name, but I have only heard it applied to the tataeto (whitehead) and kokako 

 (crow), as a ta tataeto and a ta kokako. 



In the season known as whaturua, or midwinter, many kaka become 

 so fat that it is difficult for them to take flight — they cannot rise in flight 

 from the ground. When found feeding on the ground they walk to the 

 nearest tree and climb up it— walk up, in fact — and are then caught by 

 hand. When in this state of excessive fatness they are called keketoi by 

 some tribes. 



The cry of the kaka is extremely harsh, but it also emits a deep whistle 

 at times. The screeching sound made by this bird when on the feeding- 

 grounds grates upon the ear, but when flying their cry seems more to re- 

 semble a croak. This is often heard in the dead of night and at daybreak 

 by us denizens of the realm of Tane. Like most other native birds, the 

 kaka is becoming scarce, but appeared in considerable numbers at Rua- 

 tahuna four years ago, where, near my camp, a single Native shot about 

 four hundred. 



The kaka utters a peculiar cry or screech when alarmed, the cry being 

 known as tarakeha among the Natives — ka tarakeha te kaka. A similar 

 w^ord is kareha ( = to cry out in alarm), of a kaka bird ; and kaiewha has 

 a similar meaning, as also has the term koriwhai. " Ka kite te kaka i te 

 kaeaea, ka koriivhai.^' All these expressions denote tangi mataku — fear 

 or alarm cries of the kaka. 



Tarahae expresses the quarrelling of birds — the querulous or angry 

 sounds emitted by birds when apparently squabbling over food. Kaka- 

 tarahae is a place-name. Tarawhete means to chatter or mutter aimlessly — 

 said to have been originally applied to sounds made by the kaka, as when 

 sitting on a perch, but now used to denote the gossiping of persons. Ko- 

 whete has a similar meaning. 



Kaka were often kept in captivity by the Natives, and used as decoys 

 in the fowling season. Such birds while kept at the hamlet were termed 

 mokai or maitnoa (pets), but when taken to the forest to be used as decoys 

 were known as timori, tirore, &c. 



