Cotenso.—On a better Knowledge of the Maori Race. 119 
28. Mate kanohi miromiro. 
To be found by the sharp-eyed little bird. 
Lit. For the miromiro’s eye. 
Used as a stimulus to a person searching for anything lost. The miro- 
miro is the little Petroica toitoi, which runs up and down trees peering for 
minute insects in the cavities in the bark. 
29. He kai iana ta te tou e ho ake ? 
Do you think to gain food through inaction ? 
Lit. Will squatting at home on your posteriors bring you food ? 
80. E rua tau ruru; e rua tau wehe; e rua tau mutu; e rua tau kai. 
Two seasons of drought; two seasons of scarcity ; two seasons of 
crop failure ; two seasons of plenty. 
Meaning : Persevere, keep at it, success will follow. 
81. Tungia te ururua, kia tupu whakaritorito te tupu o te harakeke, 
Set fire to the scrub that the flax plants may shoot forth young 
evergreen shoots. 
Meaning: Clear off the old and bad that the new and good may grow 
vigorously. 
III. Acatnst Ipteness, Laziness, GLUTTONY, ETC. 
92. Nga huhu, nga wera, to kai, e mangere! 
This lazy fellow does nothing but roast himself by the fire ! 
Lit. Burns (and) sealds (are) thy food O lazy-bones ! 
83. He kai ko tau e pahure. 
Food is the thing you can get through very well (but work you can- 
not despatch, understood). 
94. Kai hanu, kai hanu, hoki mai ano koe ko to koiwi! 
After going about idly “loafing” (mumping) from place to place 
(lit., eating scraps !), thou returnest again to thy own proper 
home ! 
85. Hohonu kakii, papaku uaua ! 
Deep throat, little sinews (to work) ! 
N.B.— Here also the adjectives should be noticed, being in direct oppo- 
sition, and not only so but as here used they have a ludicrous quip, being 
terms properly and usually applied to water—Hohonu — - deep : papaku = 
shallow 
~ 
This would prove a cutting saying. 
Here is a similar one :— 
36. Ka kai kopu, ka iri whata, kei te uaua te kore. 
He fills his belly, he carefully lays up the remainder for himself, 
but, alas! has no sinews for work! 
~ 
