56 DRESSING THE HAIR. [PART I. 



Zealander's house, or on his sepulchral monuments 

 all are Tikis (E' is the article). 



Men for the most part either have their hair cut 

 periodically, or wear it long and tied up on the 

 crown of the head ; girls let it fall over the fore- 

 head (which they do not like to have uncovered), 

 and crop it in a straight line about an inch above 

 the eyebrows. Married women sometimes wear it 

 loose and flowing; sometimes they tie it up in dif- 

 ferent shapes, according to the fashion, which is as 

 changeable in this respect as with us. Young girls 

 and boys always wear it short. 



The hair on the head of a chief is a very sacred 

 object, and the operation of cutting it is accom- 

 panied with certain customs connected with the 

 " Tapu." 



The New Zealander would have a tolerably strong 

 beard if he did not eradicate it as soon as it appears. 

 This is done with a cockleshell; but the custom is 

 not universal, and men are sometimes seen with 

 large beards. Generally speaking, their legs, chest, 

 and arms are less covered with hair than is the case 

 with Europeans, and it causes them great astonish- 

 ment to see the hairy thorax of the white man. 



Dances and songs are very common ; the latter 

 are generally accompanied with mimicry. A war 

 is commenced and concluded with a dance, in which 

 the features are in various ways contorted. They 

 have a game with four balls, exactly like that of the 

 Indian jugglers, arid they accompany it with a song. 



