Best. — Maori Forest Lore. 



249 



The katara, or small uprieht stick, is thrust down through the roof until 

 the lower end is just above the floor of the little hut. To this lower end 

 is secured the bait of patnte berries. One end of the ichana, or spring rod. 

 is thrust into the earth ; to the upper end is secured a double cord or loop, 

 knotted near the middle. This is the tohe, or snaring-loop. The cord 

 termed ivhiti is secured at each end to the rwpe, on either side of the entrance. 

 To set the trap, the upper end of the whana is bent down, the lower loop 

 being passed between the two rupe, and arranged as in the common trap. 

 The kunipae. a short stick, is slipped under the whiti cord and through the 



1. TP7(o?io, spring stick 



5. Katara. 6. Whiti cord. 



Rat-trap, Pokipoki. 



2. Upper loop of to/«e cord. 3. yoAe, or snare loop. 4. Kurupae. 

 . Rupe. 8. T'uriituru. or uprights. 9. Knot of loop. 



upper loop of the tohe, the rear end resting on top of the katara. The whiti 

 cord is between the tohe and the katara. Thus the whiti saves the situation, 

 takes the upward strain of the whana until a rat, pulling at the bait, tugs 

 the katara outwards, thus releasing the kurupae, which flies off into space. 

 The bent ivhana flies up, dragging up the looped cord, and jamming the rat 

 against the rupe, as before. While the trap is set the strain on the tohe 

 is, of course, on the knot, the lower end hanging slack. When the trap 

 is sprung the strain is on the rat. The next act is the arrival of John 

 Tenakoe, who pops Mr. Kiore into his game-bag and resets the trap. 



The torea, or kopiha kiore, is the pit trap for taking rats. The first of 

 these two names is the one in common use among the Tuhoe Tribe. 



The following was the modus operandi in this district. A hole or pit 

 about 4 ft. deep was dug in a suitable place. Some bait was placed at the 



bottom of the pit, and a piece of wood was 

 placed in the hole in a slanting position, and 

 down which the rats travelled in order to get 

 at the bait. After the food so placed foi 

 them was consumed the rats would return 

 above ground by the same route and go 

 about their other business. After the rats 

 had got accustomed to going into the pit for 

 the food the ladder was taken away, and a 

 number of slight sticks were stuck in a hori- 

 zontal position into the ground at the mouth 

 of the pit, so that each stick projected out 

 over the mouth of the pit. On the end of 

 each stick a bait was tied. The rats walked out on these sticks in order to 



Entrance to a Torea Pit Trap 



BAITED. 



