418 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



from one centre ; and there is no reason to suppose that New 

 Zealand has been inhabited by the Maoris for a longer period 

 than their own traditions allow — viz., some 600 years. Until I 

 had visited Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa, I had felt a difficulty in 

 seeing how the Maoris had navigated the Pacific with the means 

 at their command ; but after seeing the numerous groups of 

 islands, and scattered detached islands, I at once perceived that, 

 although hazardous, in even large canoes, the exploit was not 

 very difficult. It required skill, courage, and obstinate resolu- 

 tion. I suppose that some of the Pacific groups of islands may 

 have been colonised for many centuries before the others, and 

 that the pressure of increasing population, or intestine troubles, 

 caused portions of the people to seek from time to time fresh 

 homes. 



The more interesting questions are : How, when, and whence 

 the Maori found his way to the Pacific ? "Where was his original 

 home, and when did he leave it ? I think the tentative attempts 

 to prove part of the above from the evidence of language are 

 highly praiseworthy ; but I doubt if they have been successful. 

 I now suggest that the focus should be turned upon the physical 

 and mental characteristics which may be found to connect the 

 Maoris with races in other parts of the world ; that particular 

 attention should also be directed to the patterns of ancient 

 carvings in wood ; and that language may be also brought in as 

 an accessory. I do not attempt to solve the question, for it might 

 require the application of a long life, and should be undertaken 

 by a man who combines the technical education of a com- 

 parative anatomist with the feeling of an artist, and facility as a 

 linguist. 



Art. XLIX. — Ancient Tide-lore, and Tales of the Sea, from the 



two Ends of the World. 



By W. Colenso, F.K.S., F.L.S., etc. 



[Read before the Haw he's Bay Philosophical Institute. 15th August, 1887.] 



[Abstract.] 



I had been lately reading some of the curious theories respecting 

 the tides of the sea that were anciently held or advanced by the 

 wisest and most civilized nations, or the philosophers of Greece 

 and Rome ; also some far more strange and peculiar notions 

 held by Western Europe, and by Oriental races in more modern 

 times, which, possibly, in a measure are still by them main- 

 tained ; and this naturally brought me to a reconsideration of 



