Wa 
Corzsso.-—On a better Knowledge of the Maori Race. 103. 
In that great battle, those two birds, the tiitii (Haladroma urinatriv— 
petrel), and the taiko,* were made prisoners by the river-birds; and hence 
it is that these two birds always lay their eggs and rear their young in the 
woods among the land-birds. The tiitii (petrel) goes to sea, and stays away 
there for a whole moon (lunar month), and when she is full of oil, for her 
young in the forests, she returns to feed them, which is once every moon. 
From this circumstance arose with our ancestors the old adage, which has 
come down to us, “He tiitii whangainga tahi;” literally, A tiitii of one 
feeding ; meaning, Even as a tiitii bird gets fat though only fed well once 
now and then. 
Appenpix.— Note to p. 82. 
This is an astonishing fact, but it is strietly true, though, I believe, 
scarcely known. I, therefore, with great pleasure, give in a note an extract 
or two from an interesting letter ** On the Native Songs of New Zealand," 
written nearly twenty-five years ago, by a talented musician and author of 
several works on musie (Mr. J. H. Davies, of Trinity College, Cambridge), 
which letter was printed as an appendix to one of Sir G. Grey's works 
on New Zealand; and though highly worthy of being read and of being 
deeply studied—especially by a trained musician—it is, I fear, but very 
little known among us. 
* Of this bird, the Taiko, I have formerly often heard, particularly at the northern 
parts of the North Island, but have never seen one. It is scarcely known here in Hawke 
Bay, save by name to a few of the oldest natives. An old chief at Te Wairoa told me 
ihat he had known of two which were seen together on the shore of Portland Island 
(Hawke Bay), many years ago, one of which was snared and eaten. From another very 
old chief I had heard of two having been once cooked in a Maori earth-oven as a 
savoury mess for a travelling party of rank; and from his story it would appear as if the 
bird could have been easily taken in its habitat, at the will of the lord of the manor; 
for, on that travelling party arriving at the pa, one of the chiefs' wives remarked, 
* Alas! whatever shall I do for a tit-bit to set before our guests ?' The chief said, “TI 
get you some." He then went out and soon returned with two Taikos, which were cooked 
and greatly relished. This bird is said to have been large, plump, and fat, and highly 
prized for food, and only to be obtained on exposed oceanie headlands and islets. (There 
are small rocky islets called by its name, Motutaiko.) Possibly it may be a large species 
of petrel or puffin; although, if the imperfect Maori relation is to be depended on, its 
beak was more that of an albatross. 
+ This proverb would be used by the New Zealanders on various occasions; such 
as (1) When chiefs of lower rank would bring a present (annual, perhaps, as of sweet 
potatoes [kumara] at harvest-time), to their superior chief: (2) When a travelling party 
arrives at a village, and something particularly good, or extra, which perhaps had been 
stored up or set by, or just obtained with difficulty or labour, should be given to the 
party; on such occasions the proverb might be used. Much like (here) our sayings of, 
"We don’t kill a pig every day;” ‘In luck to-day ;” “ Just in time," ke, 
d 
