Matthews. — Reminisiceuces of Maori Life. Fifty Years ar/o. 



605 



tails, boll-birds, and other small species would be attracted by the noise, 

 and settle on the pae. A rapid stroke of the 'whiu, sweeping from end to 

 end of the pae, would dislodge and kill these birds. An old man once 

 told me that in his younger days he had often taken a kitful of korimakos 

 in this way in a single day. The pae was also employed for taking the kaka 

 parrot. Here a tame bird was often used as a decoy ; when that was not 

 a.vailable the cry of the bird was very cleverly imitated. 



One occasion, many years ago, I travelled in company with Mr. Puckey 

 to Mangamuka by the old Maori track crossing the western shoulder of 

 Maungataniwha. When we arrived at the bottom of Whatatawha, and when 

 we were passing along the low foothills, we met a party of Maoris who had 

 been spearing pigeons. Each man had a goodly number of birds slung 

 round him, wrapped up in nikau leaves. There was not a gun amongst 

 them. We passed through the rich valley of Hunuhunua, and arrived at 

 Pongaheka, a kainga, or village, at the boat-landing on the Mangamuka 

 Kiver. On approaching the river we saw a line stretched tightly along 

 the edge of the water, which was covered from end to end with an immense 

 niimber of nooses. On inquiry we were told that it was a ta-iki for catching 

 pigeons. The birds, it was said, were always very thirsty when feeding on 

 miro berries. We also noticed a taraire tree near the river which had had 

 its upper branches removed and nooses so placed that a pigeon could 

 hardly settle on it without being caught. 



Thus with spear and noose the old-time Maori was able to keep his larder 

 plentifully supplied with the delicious kukupa. 



3. Trapping of Hawks. 

 For catching hawks a trap called a tara-haha was used. A straight 

 manuka pole 6 ft. to 8 ft. in length, and about 2 in. in 

 diameter, with two strong opposite branches at the top, 

 making a kind of fork, was selected. The lower end 

 was sharpened, for convenience in sticking it in the 

 ground. The prongs or forks were cut off at the top, 

 leaving them about 18 in. long, and were neatly 

 smoothed and rounded, with a transverse notch cut 

 across the top. A piece of straight stick about 9 in. 

 long was fastened across the prongs about a third of 

 the distance from the base of the prongs for the purpose 

 of spreading the prongs, and the bait was tied to this 

 cross-piece. A noose Avas then placed resting on the 

 notches on the top of the prongs, the lower end of the 

 noose hanging just above the bait. The end of the 

 cord above the noose was fastened a little distance 

 below the fork. The accompanying sketch of a tara- 

 haha ready for use will give a better idea of the con- 

 struction of the trap than any description. All being 

 ready, the tara-haha was firmly stuck in the ground 

 with the opening between the prongs facing the wind, 

 the bait tied to the cross-piece, and the noose placed 

 in position on the wind side of the bait. (A hawk 

 always swoops down on his prey head to the wind, and 

 flies off in the same manner — head to wind.) In flying 

 away the hawk is caught by the noose, generally by 

 both wings, which are consequently held close to the 

 body, thus lessening the risk of breaking the noose. 



