Srack.—On the Colour-Sense of the Maori. 157 
Maunsell, LL.D., a sound Hebrew and Greek scholar, and one whose know- 
ledge of idiomatic Maori is perfect. A few references from his translation of 
colour-expressions, will assist those unacquainted with the Maori language 
to verify the statements I have made. The Greek words are from the 
Septuagint, the English from the Authorized Version, and the Maori from Dr. 
Maunsell’s translation. 
Red—Exd. xxy., 5, npv0podarwpeva = dyed red = whakawhero. 
Scarlet—Is. 1., 18, ġowwovy = scarlet = ngangana. 
Crimson—Is. 1., 18, coxcvov = crimson = whero me te mea whakawhero. 
Purple— Esth. 1., 6, moppvporc = purple = papura (this is only Maoricized 
English). 
Green—Esth. 1., 6, guapa yàcrov = green = kirini (Maoricized English). 
Greenish—Lev. xmm., 49, xAwpcfovca= greenish = ma kakariki. 
Blue—Ex. xxv., 4, $axw0ov = blue — puuru (Maoricized English). 
Yellow—Lev. xm., 80, fav@:Zovea—= yellow = ma kowhai. 
Ps. xvm., 18, XAwpornri = yellow = whero. 
Brown—Gen. xxx., 82, ġarov = brown = tongitongi, (really, spotted.) 
Vide Gen. xxxr, 8. where rowa, translated “speckled” in 
English, is rendered wAai tongitongi in Maori; and again gator, 
rendered “brown” in English, is rendered pakaka (or kaka 
colour) in Maori. 
White—Is. 1., 18, Xevxavyw — white —ma. 
Black—Zech. vr., 6, ueXavec = black — mangu. 
Job m., 5, exoroc —darkness = pouri. 
Mr. Gladstone says: ** Colours were for Homer not facts but images ; 
his words describing them are figurative words, borrowed from natural 
objects, in truth colours are things illustrated rather than described; " and 
he supports this opinion by quoting such expressions as rose-colour, wine- 
colour, bronze-colour, fire-colour, ete. As we find exactly the same method 
of expressing colour adopted by the Maoris, who spoke of kowhai-flower 
colour, little-parrot colour, we may conclude that their knowledge of colour 
was in a state of progression. The evidence afforded by the expressions 
used to distinguish yellow and green, shows that, at one period of their 
existence, yellow and green were confounded with the lighter shades of 
black and white. When the kowhai received its name, it was not on account 
of its colour, and when the parrakeet was named, it was its size, and not 
its colour, which attracted attention. It was after becoming acquainted 
with the kowhai, and little parrot, that they learnt to discriminate the 
colours. They then ceased to regard objects as merely luminous or non- 
luminous, but they had not yet realized the existence of colour as a quality 
apart from the object with which it was associated in the mind. They 
