90 MAORI ABORIGINAL MANCFACTURES. 
three-quarters of an inch broad, attached to a smooth coarse mat ; every 
third leaf is dyed yellow, and the rest black. This mat is perfectly im- 
pervious to rain. A specimen was exhibited in the Hawke's Bay col- 
lection. 
The purehi mat is another waterproof covering, made of roughly pre- 
pared flax fibres, eight inches long, attached by one end to a coarse mat. 
It differs from the taicpo mat in the flax being more scraped and not 
dyed. 
The tot mat is made of flax leaves dyed black, seven inches long and 
three-quarters of an inch broad, twisted and torn so as to leave some 
green fibres. The Jcupura is a very rare mat, and is, like the kaitaka y 
without the border, and is dyed black. 
The kotiJcoti is a mat which is so fabricated as to allow close rows of 
pipe-shaped tassels to hang down. These pipes are made by exposing 
the green flax leaf to the fire, which causes it to curl round in the form 
described. This mat rattles when the wearer walks. 
The pukupwhu is a mat of closely woven flax, and used as a sort of 
armour against spears. 
Mats were also made of dogskin (shupuni), and of the feathers of 
various birds, especially the kiwi. 
Although the Maoris have only a tradition to that effect, there is 
reason for believing that they were formerly acquainted with other 
methods of manufacturing cloth for garments. The inhabitants of many 
of the South Sea Islands, it is well known, make a sort of cloth by 
macerating and beating out the bark of the paper mulberry. The Rev. 
Mr. Taylor, in his work alluded to, says : " Tradition also states that 
they (the Maoris) had finer garments in former days, and of different 
kinds ; that, like their reputed ancestors, they made cloth from the bark 
of trees ; the name is preserved, but the manufacture has ceased." The 
name by which this bark-cloth is known is " ante." An exhibit in the 
Otago Museum Collection appears to throw a good deal of light on the 
subject. It is apiece of sloth found in a cave in the Dunstan ranges, 
Otago, and probably a portion of burial clothing. It is very much like 
the "tapes" of the Fijians, and is evidently made by macerating and 
felting together some fibrous bark or leaf. From apparent divisions in 
the texture about the width of a flax leaf, it was considered by some to 
be composed of that material, but it is most likely made of the paper 
mulberry or some other fibrous bark — perhaps the Hohere {Hokeria 
populnea) or Ribbon tree. It is in a very good .state of preservation, 
and is a most interesting relic of native manufacture. 
Very good collections of flax mats were exhibited by the Rev. Mr. 
Reimenschneider, and by the Waikouaiti District Committee. 
The fibre of the native flax also supplied the Maoris with sails for their 
canoes, fishing lines, and nets. In the two latter much ingenuity was 
displayed. A specimen of a peculiar and rare kind of fishing line was 
