MAORI WIT. 141 



dawn to dark with the song of the skylark, which has proved 

 only second to the rabbit for its destruction to vegetation, and 

 its insiippressible fecundity. Hares breed from three to five 

 young ones in a nest, and five nests a year, and grow too strong 

 for the greyhound to overtake them, so that a country from, 

 which the gigantic Moa has perished, and which until recently 

 had no quadrupeds, except the Cook imported pigs and rats, is 

 now threatened with an excess of animal life, which outruns the 

 more than wonted increase of mankind, and is unchecked by 

 floods, frosts, drought or disease. 



306. — Although light horses are now as cheap in New Zealand 

 as in Australia, and very large heavy ones are cheaper, the New 

 Zealand colonists have not yet forgotten the habits formed when 

 horses were very scarce and costly, so that their horses are better 

 broken than those of Australia, and the good old systems of 

 England and Scotland are only modified with the greater cost of 

 labour, and the time saving lessons of American horse tamers. 

 As the young horses require no winter care, they are often 

 entirely unheeded, until fit for work, and sometimes, though 

 rarely, come to the breakers hands almost as timid and wild as 

 those of Australia. 



307. — The Maories have taken eagerly to the luxury of the 

 horse's services, and whilst they watch and easily imitate all that 

 they see done with him by their European neighbours, they go 

 to work with him in their own way, and with their own resources^ 

 in a manner quite consistent with the courage, cleverness, and 

 cunning, which has enabled them to hold their own in their own 

 country as no other uncivilized race has ever done. The men 

 who obtained all the lead they wanted to defend a fortification by 

 showing up imitation Maories for our soldiers to fill with bullets^ 

 and who defied every general and every army by a skilful use of 

 their native swamps, are not likely to be very much outwitted 

 in the management of their own animals. 



308. — It was in 1862 that we joined a riding party that was 

 going on a sort of picnic excursion from Nelson to the lake and 

 mountain country, in the interior of the middle island. Some 

 ladies were in the party, to ride where ladies had never been 



