88 
The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. 
[Mar. 
or shells mixed with other debris and earth on old village-sites, but nothing 
that calls for special remark. The shells most frequently seen at these 
village-sites were those of the genera Haliotis, Turbo, Helcioniscus, Thais, 
Astraea, and Evechinus. The sandy area at Owhariu Bay has been a 
favoured place of residence for centuries, but all shell refuse has become 
scattered and mixed with sand and light soil. On the long stretch of 
coast-line from Owhariu to Tutamahurangi, or Tomahawk Point, about 
three miles south of Titahi, a distance of six miles or so, no such signs of 
native occupation are seen, the coast-line being unsuitable for settlement. 
From Muritai to the mouth of the Hutt River are the sites of several 
villages of former native inhabitants, but few signs of that occupation are 
now observed. In the few deposits of shell refuse still seen we meet with 
Chione in considerable numbers. 
Somes Island Middens. 
A visit to this island in May, 1915, provided an opportunity of examining 
two interesting middens. The occupation-sites on the island have evidently 
been confined to the upper part of the ridge and to its lower-lying northern 
end. At the latter place the remains of a fortified village are still seen, 
and Wairarapa natives state that it was named Te Moana-a-kura. Another 
such village formerly stood on the site of the buildings now occupied by 
German prisoners and military, and this was named Haowhenua. These 
villages are said to have been occupied by some of the Ngati-Ira tribe, and, 
in their day, the chiefs Te Whakumu and Te Rongo-tumamao lived here. 
The road formed from the landing-place up to the barracks has been 
cut through a small midden near the old Haowhenua pa. In this heap of 
shell refuse, long overgrown with grass, were found fish-bones and bird- 
bones, and the following shells : Mytilus canaliculus and M. edulis (most 
numerous) ; Amphibola crenata (numerous) ; Evechinus (fairly numerous) ; 
Turbo, Haliotis iris, Cominella maculata, Astraea sulcata , Monodonta aethiops, 
Mesoclesma ventricosum, Ostrea, Turritella, Thais succincta, T. haustrum, 
and Helcioniscus (few). 
We here meet with numbers of Amphibola crenata, which must have 
been brought over from the mouth of the Hutt and Waiwhetu Rivers, the 
only place in the harbour frequented by them. It is puzzling to find no 
Chione here, brought from the sand beaches that contained them, such 
as Haukawakawa. The bulk of the shell-fish used here evidently con¬ 
sisted of the two species of Mytilus, and here we find the shells much better 
preserved, possibly because these middens have not been subjected to 
trampling by stock and man, as have those of the mainland. It is also 
possible that portions of these deposits are due to late occupation by the 
Ngati-Awa folk (1825-40). Mussels are numerous on the rocks off shore. 
Apart from the first four species, of three genera, the number of shells seen 
was inconsiderable. The few Mesodesma seen were presumably obtained 
from the mainland. 
Near the above midden is a small terrace-like formation that probably 
represents a hut-site, and a few levelled places on the western slope may 
have had a like origin. On this side also appear to be the remains of two 
old food-storage pits of the semi-subterranean type, and two more are 
plainly discernible on the hill forming the high part of the island at the 
south end. These may have been in existence in pre-European days as 
storage-places for Jcumara (Ipomoea Batatas), or may merely date from the 
introduction of the potato. The gently sloping ground south of the 
barracks has probably been cultivated in past times. 
