CoLENSO. — On the Colour Sense of the Maoris. 49 



Art in. — On the fine Perception of Colours possessed by the ancient Maoris. 

 By W. CoLENSo, F.L.S. 

 [Read before the Hawkers Bay Philosophical Institute, 10th October, 1881.] 

 In a paper which I had the honour of reading here before you last year, 

 (" On a better Knowledge of the Maori Eace,") I alluded to the surprisingly 

 powerful natural faculties of the Maoris ; particularly instancing those of 

 Memory, Sight, and Hearing ; and ending my remarks m that place by 

 saying, — '* their fine discrimination of the various shades and hues of 

 colours — particularly of blacks, browns, reds, greens, etc., — was truly 

 wonderful. On this subject and its relatives I hope to write a paper."* 



I should not, however, have chosen to do so at the present time, (for I 

 had desired to finish a paper on " Hawaiki," which I had been preparing), 

 had I not seen a paper by Mr. Stack, of Christchurch, — " On the Colour 

 Sense of the Maoris," + in which, according to my certain knowledge and 

 long experience, there is no small amount of error ; and believing this, 

 though reluctant to suspend other work, I have deemed it to be my duty 

 to lose no time in bringing my promised paper before you. 



And here I would briefly remark, that what I shall now bring forward in 

 this paper is from my own individual experience only ; derived, not merely 

 during an extra long period of dwelling among the Maoris, and that before 

 the country became settled, (for others have resided in New Zealand as long, 

 or even longer than I have), but mainly from my having travelled so very 

 much among them ; very frequently in parts where no white man had ever 

 been before me ; sometimes on the battle-field, both during and after the 

 fight; and always in the additional capacity of a " doctor " or medical man, 

 and ever on foot and with them ; always having, also, several of their best 

 head men (chiefs and priests) voluntarily and heartily travelling with me as 

 companions from their own pa, or village, to the next pa, or halting place, 

 or bounds of their tribe (as the case might be) ; and all this, too, at a period 

 in their history when they had no extraneous foreign matters to trouble them or 

 to talk about. And so I have had very many fine anS profitable opportunities 

 of hearing and observing many things that naturally and spontaneously 

 occurred, which otherwise, probably, I should never have known ; and 

 which (as far as I know) no other European has ever had so many 

 advantages and opportunities of knowing. Moreover, owing to Mr. Stack's 

 paper, and to do the old Maoris justice, I shall have to relate many pleasing 



* " Trans. N.Z. Inst.," Vol. XIII., p. 63. 



t ■' Trans N.Z. Inst.," Vol. XII., p. 153. 



