476 Transactions. 



many were allowed to mature. These matured ones were used for bowls, 

 water-vessels, &c. The bowls, formed of half a hue cut through the middle, 

 were termed ifu or oko. The water-vessels and potting-vessels were termed 

 taha. These had merely the top cut off — that is, the small end, where the 

 hue had grown on the plant. The species used for taha grows in a pear- 

 shaped form. The opening in the vessel is large enough for a person's 

 hand to pass through, and is called the ngutu iti, or small-lipped. 



When a vessel is filled with potted food, the small exposed surface is 

 covered with leaves, &c., and in rare cases a kopani or wooden cover or 

 hd of carved wood was used. When brought from the storehouse to serve 

 as a centre-piece at some feast, a carved wooden neck-piece was placed on 

 top of the vessel, which cylindrical piece is termed a tuki. The vessel was 

 mounted on three or four carved wooden legs {waewae taha), and orna- 

 mented with bunches of feathers. 



The tukohu method of cooking birds and rats consisted of putting them 

 in a bowl {oko) and then placing the bowl in a steam oven, by which means 

 the fat was saved. These birds or rats were so cooked either boned or 

 with the bones left in. 



In regard to the taking of fresh-water fish, and the many curious cus- 

 toms, &c., pertaining to such work, such notes have already appeared in 

 the Transactions in an article on the food products of Tuhoeland, hence 

 we will not insert them here. It was a bad arrangement to put such notes 

 under that heading, but we bush-folk are not versed in the rules of com- 

 piling ethnographical matter. 



There are, however, a few fish notes that have come to hand since the 

 above article was pubhshed. These few we proceed to give. 



" The Ngai-Turanga clan, in former times, had rights to the waters 

 only of the Tauranga (Wai-mana) River — that is, fishing rights — between 

 Otara and Okehu, but had no rights to the land on either bank, at that 

 part." 



In respect to eel- weirs {fa tuna), but little is known of this matter by 

 Tuhoe, inasmuch as they have no good eel-streams in their district. The 

 extensive weirs constructed in some places were made under the super- 

 vision of adepts at such work. Ranapiri, of Ngati-Raukawa, says that 

 the first post or upright stake on the right of the entrance of a weir is called 

 the fou reinga. It is at this post that the mauri is located. After the 

 weir is finished and ready for use, no eel-pots are set for the first few nights, 

 or the eels will cease to pass through in numbers. 



One occasionally sees the double hinaki or eel-pot, having an entrance- 

 funnel {akura) at each end. The last one I saw was made of wire netting 

 of a small mesh. May Tangaroa have mercy on the maker thereof ! 



The fuhi is a species of kokopu, a fresh-water fish. It is a very quiet 

 fish, not easily frightened, and is easily taken. - It can be pushed into the 

 net with the foot. The titarakura, a small fish, is sometimes called titikura. 



Ngaio is the name of a kind of worm, a parasite sometimes found in 

 the kokopu fish. A similar parasite is occasionally found in the kaka bird, 

 which is in very poor condition at such a time. 



The Huna, Ari-matanui, and three Tamatea nights of the moon are 

 deemed unlucky or unsuitable for river-fishing. 



The disappearance of the upokororo fish from the Whakatane River is 

 said to have been brought about by an old warlock named Kaaho, who 

 drove them away by means of his magic arts. 



