430 Transactiojis. — Miscellaneous. 



More, not very different from a mole-trap. These traps were 

 placed at short intervals along tracks called ara More. Birds 

 were noosed with loops of flax, placed in situations to which 

 they were likely to come for water. They were also speared 

 with a long spear (tahere manu, and here) tipped with bone 

 or the sting of the ray. These were made of tawa or other 

 light woods. 



In a paper read by Major Heaphy, V.C., before the Wel- 

 lington Philosophical Society in 1879 (Transactions, vol. xii.), 

 a very good description is given of the tahere, and of the way 

 it was used in spearing pigeons. Major Heaphy says, — 



" On another occasion I accompanied a party of natives 

 into the hills near Belmont to spear pigeons. The spears are 

 about 12ft. long, and very slender — not more than ^in. in 

 diameter at the thickest part. They have to be held near the 

 point, and, on a journey, trailed behind until wanted for 

 immediate use. The pigeons are probably feeding in low 

 trees, or are about water-holes, and are scarcely frightened at 

 the approach of the hunter, who quietly steals under them, 

 sometimes even ascending the lower branches of the tree the 

 bird occupies. The spear is then quietly directed amongst 

 the foliage towards the breast of the bird, which takes little 

 notice of the operation. When the point is within half a 

 yard a sudden thrust is made, and the bird is transfixed. The 

 point of the weapon is of bone, and barbed. This bone is 

 hung securely by a lanyard at its base to the spear-head, but 

 when ready for use is lashed with thin thread alongside the 

 wood. The wounded bird flutters with such force as would 

 break the spear were the whole rigid ; but, as arranged, the 

 thread breaks, and the bird on the barbed bone falls the 

 length of the lanyard, where its stragglings do not affect the 

 spear, and it is easily taken by the fowler's left hand. This 

 mode of capturing birds very soon after our arrival went out 

 of vogue. The spears were exceedingly difficult to make, and 

 the few that were finished were eagerly bought by the whites 

 as curiosities." 



The Maori proverb inculcating the wisdom of forethought 

 in providing for what may be required on a journey says, 

 " Don't forget provender ; there will be no tarainga here (bird- 

 spear making) on the way." 



Weaving, or Whatu. — The implements used by the Maori 

 in the manufacture of the articles used for clothing were very 

 simple. The so-called Maori mat, the beautiful kaitaha, with 

 its rich taniko border at the foot ; the koroiuai, with the 

 pendent glossy black thrums falling in graceful curves over 

 its folds ; the handsome bordered korohunga — these Maori 

 curiosities, now so admired and sought after by the tourist, 

 were all manufactured from the fibre of the harakeke, or flax- 



