Corenso.—On the Colour Sense of the Maoris. 483 
incorrect, as my paper (in part) will show, where brown, orange, and pink 
are brought forward. And as to there being “no less than three words for 
speckled objects,” I know more than a dozen ! 
Again, Mr. Stack says (p. 156),—‘ Further proof of their imperfect 
ge Peveption of colour is furnished by the fact that the Maoris have never 
~ shown any real appreciation of floral charms. * * * Flowers generally 
were despised, and the greatest astonishment was expressed by Maoris in 
the early days, when they observed the pains taken by colonists to cultivate 
any but flowers of the gaudiest hues.” 
+ Here I observe,—(1) Flowers were not despised; very far from it. It 
Was owing to their fading so quickly, especially when in close contact with 
the human body; I have known, however, young chiefs often to fix a 
flowering sprig in their ears. It was not the national custom of the Maori 
women to decorate their hair, for they generally wore it cropped (vide Cook 
and others); but I knew them at an early date to bind their hair with a 
graceful wreath of Clematis (C. colensoi, and C. hewasepala), and of Lycopo- 
dium volubile, and not unfrequently with a neat green fillet of fresh flax. 
(See plate xix., in Parkinson’s “Journal;” Parkinson was Sir Joseph 
Banks’ draughtsman, and here in New Zealand with him.) (2) The Maoris 
never wantonly destroyed “right and left” the shrubs and small trees 
around them,—like the “superior” or (to use Mr. Stack’s own words) ‘‘ the 
higher races” invariably did; it was a pleasing sight to see their hastily put- 
up booths or « tabernacles” in travelling, or abutting on their country 
pieniations and river and seaside fishing grounds, their karaka fruit and 
ird preserves ,—always made in a snug bowery place; even the common 
Privies of their pas (towns) were often so situated, and I have known such 
public spots with planted and trained shrubs and ereepers (Solanum avicu- 
lare, and Muhlenbeckia adpressa) growing over them; and they never cut 
down the trees growing near for firing, fencing, or any purpose ; rather than 
do such wanton acts, they would travel miles to procure poles, sticks, ete.* 
(8) That « astonishment” experienced ‘in the early days” was not re 
flowering plants of non-gaudy hues, but plants not producing fruit (tubers, 
tc.) From long before Mr. Stack’s earliest recollection the Maoris planted 
with “pains” the potato, the onion, the melon, and the cabbage; the 
flowers of these did not possess ‘“‘ gaudy hues;” but being a practical people, 
8 true race of hard-working agriculturists, they were astonished at such 
_ Waste of labour, good ground and fences, in non-productive plants. 
Mr. Stack also says @. ie —* They (the Maoris) seem to have lost all 
‘Sense of harmony i ey = 
