CoLENSO, — 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 

 perception 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. hexasepala), and of Lycopo- 

 diiim 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 

 plantations and river and seaside fishing grounds, theu' karaka fruit and 

 bird 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 creepers (Solanum avicu- 

 lare, and Muhlenb'eckia 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, etc.* 

 (3) That "astonishment" experienced "in the early days" was not re 

 flowering plants of non-gaudy hues, but plants not producing fruit (tubers, 

 etc.). 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, 

 a 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 (p. 158),^ — " They (the Maoris) seem to have lost all 

 sense of harmony in colouring." Qu. Could they lose what (he had 

 repeatedly said) they never possessed ? 



* See " Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vol. xiii., p. 373. 



