284 Transactions. 



of the same name is said to be her, or represent her. It has no place in 

 this list, save the fact that it is sometimes seen on the river-beds of this 

 district. 



Welca (Wood-hen). — These birds are not numerous in this district, but 

 are said to have been so formerly. In those days they were snared, and 

 also hunted with dogs. 



Whehau. — See Hakoke. 



Weweia {Podicipes rufipectus ; Little Grebe). — Natives state that a pair 

 of these birds are always seen in a crateral pond on the summit of Mount 

 Edgecumbe by those who ascend that isolated cone. 



Whenahonako. — See under Koekoea. 



Whio [H ynienokemus malacorhynchus ; Blue Mountain-duck). — One often 

 sees these birds when traversing the rough streams of the high-lying in- 

 terior, as at Rua-tahuna. These birds were taken at night, the fowlers 

 carrying torches, which they flashed suddenly on the birds when near to 

 them. This is said to cause the birds to settle, whereupon they are struck 

 down and secured. 



Whioi {Anthus novce-zealandiw). — Ground-lark. 



The following is a list of the birds that have disappeared from the Tuhoe 

 district, and several other species may be marked as doubtful, as the kokako, 

 piopio, and others. It must be remembered that nearly the whole of this 

 district is covered with dense forest, with few clearings, and that the Native 

 population is small, and residing principally on the outskirts. 



Cutting out the hakuwai and nioa, we have here a list of thirteen species 

 that have disappeared from this district since the coming of Europeans to 

 these isles, whilst some others have almost, if not quite, disappeared. The 

 species that have survived have almost all become greatly reduced in 

 numbers. 



The koroire is said to have been a water-bird, a species of duck. Mr. 

 C. E. Nelson tells me that he got the name from an old Native of Ngati- 

 Whatua, who had seen it in his youth. It has not been seen for many 

 years. This was the origin of the place-name 0-koroire. 



We will now endeavour to explain the Native theory or belief as to the 

 cause of the disappearance of native birds — for they firmly believe that it is 

 primarily due to certain ancient customs and faiths having been abandoned 

 by themselves, the Maori people of these isles. They believe that the de- 

 generation of the Maori, and the serious lessening of the Native population, 

 have been brought about by their forsaking ancient customs and old-time 

 cults — by their having become noa, or free from tapu — debased, in fact — 

 through contact with Europeans. And they hold a very similar belief in 

 regard to the cause of the disappearance of birds, or the lessening of their 

 numbers. 



The old-time Maori was, or believed himself to be, an extremely tapu 

 person. His system was, as it were, imbued or permeated with a highly 

 sacred, semi-volatile, and all-pervading non-material ichor, a spiritual and 

 intellectual essence or ether. And it was this that preserved man from 

 death or disaster of certain kinds. When speaking of a person's hau or 

 kawa ora, it is this that is in the speaker's mind. It is the tnauri ora of 



