Best. — Maori Forest Lore. 471 



We have seen that a feeding - ground or resort of the kaka is termed 

 a whakarua. But few other birds are seen at such a place. A feeding- 

 ground where several species gather, as kaka, koko, and pigeons, and 

 frequent the same trees or place, is termed a hapua. It seems to de- 

 pend on the kinds of trees growing at any place as to what birds will 

 frequent it. 



Birds are much easier to take at some times than they are at others. 

 They sometimes seem to neglect precautions when on a very fruitful tree, 

 and do not, as usual, keep glancing about and turning from side to side. 

 At such a time they soon get fat, and one says, " Kua tu ruruhi te manu, 

 kaore e kanae nga kanohi, kaore e whetete." A papauma tree {Griselinia 

 littoralis) at Te Wharau is a tree which is frequented by koko in the above 

 manner, and they get fat on its berries : hence it is known as turuhunga. 



Counting Game. 



In counting birds, or baskets of produce, the Maori always counted in 

 pairs — that is to say, he employed the term " brace," as we do. The term 

 for " brace " is pu. Kotahi pu = one brace. To express an odd number he 

 had several terms, as kehe, taukehe, tautahi, &c. Thus ka rua pu, taukehe, 

 implied five birds, two brace and an odd one. But in counting koko, which 

 is a small bird, four, or sometimes six, were reckoned to a pu. Thus a pu 

 or pair became two brace, really. The expression whakamoe was sometimes 

 used to denote the counting of game : " Kai te whakamoe a Paora i nga 

 manu o te taha.'^ In former times the Maori had a semi- vigesimal system 

 of counting : thus, hokorua pu was twenty brace, or forty ; hokotoru pu 

 was thirty brace, or sixty birds. In many cases any balance between one 

 score and another was not specified, but a person simply said " threescore- 

 odd " as for any number between sixty and eighty. Or fowlers would 

 continue their snaring or spearing in order to make up an even number, 

 as two score, or three score. But this subject of counting has been dealt 

 with in a recent volume of the Transactions ; hence we here eschew it. 



PUHORE, 



Now, this is a serious matter, this puhm-e. Observe : when going a 

 hunting, fowhng, or fishing, there are about five thousand items or acts 

 which, if they occur or do not occur, if they are committed or not com- 

 mitted, will assuredly bring you bad luck in your venture. All these items, 

 acts, or happenings are aitua (unlucky). Of a verity, their name is legion. 

 There are also a certain number of items that are marie, or lucky signs. 

 These, however, appear to be much less numerous than the unlucky ones, 

 more's the pity. We will not pain you by giving five thousand puhore, 

 but merely a few as examples, as also a few illustrations of marie. We will 

 not repeat some already given in preceding pages. 



If a hunter dreams that he meets a handsome woman, that is a lucky 

 sign, as it surely ought to be. He will assuredly slay a fine fat pig, or secure 

 many birds or fish. Such a dream is termed a moe tamahine. 



To dream that one sees human spirits is a moe papa, and a puhore, or 

 unlucky sign. • • 



It is a puhore to yawn while fishing : you will have poor luck. 



If, when going a-fowUng, you stub the left foot, hurt it against a root, 

 that is a tutuki tamaki, and a puhore. 



