90 The N.Z. Journal oe Science and Technology. [Mar. 
Amphibola, so numerous in the upper midden, are here seen in but scant 
numbers. A goodly number of Turbo were found, as also Haliotis iris, but 
of H. australis but one lone specimen. Ostrea, Cominella, and Thais were, 
present, with a few Mesodesma and Chione. The Monodonta and Turritella 
seen could scarcely have formed part of the food-supply, so small are they. 
The following shells are found in the Moana-a-kura midden : Mytilus 
canaliculus and M. edulis (most numerous) ; Haliotis iris (fairly numerous) ; 
H. australis (one only) ; Thais haustrum and T. succincta (not numerous) ; 
Turbo smaragdus (numerous) ; Cominella maculosa, Helicioniscus, Amphibola 
crenata, Ostrea, and Mesodesma novae-zelandiae (not numerous) ; Evechinus 
(fragments) ; Astrea sulcata, Siphonalia mandarina, Turritella, Monodonta 
aethiops, Chione stutchburyi, and C. costata (very few) ; Septa rubicunda 
(one only). 
The Turbo were probably a local production, and the Amphibola, Meso¬ 
desma, and Chione from the mainland, while the lone Septa may have 
been brought from some distant place, possibly as a prize. Its congener, 
S. tritonis , the largest of univalves, is found in Polynesia, and occasionallv 
on the Ahipara beach, North Auckland. It was highly prized by the 
natives, who used it as a trumpet, attaching a wooden mouthpiece for 
that purpose. The specimen of S. rubicunda above mentioned has un¬ 
doubtedly been used for the same purpose. As was usual in the manu¬ 
facture of these pu tatara, or shell trumpets, the apex of the whorl has been 
broken off and the fractured edge ground smooth to a common level. Near 
the rim three holes have been bored to accommodate the lashing whereby the 
wooden mouthpiece was secured. This piece was probably removed ere the 
shell was thrown away, which was owing to it having been broken, thus 
rendering it useless as a wind instrument. The inner part of the whorl had 
been broken through when the instrument was fashioned, so that the desired 
sound might be produced. For some reason the Maori never fitted the mouth¬ 
piece to the side of the whorl, as was the practice in Fiji and Polynesia. 
Other objects found in this midden were human bones, dog-bones, 
fish-bones, a stone cutter or graver, a piece of gneiss (a foreign stone), 
and a piece of worked timber, probably part of a door, with a pierced 
hand-clutch. The dog-bones were deeply buried, and are probably those 
of the old kuri maori, or native dog ; they include a well-preserved jaw¬ 
bone with its complement of teeth. Broken oven-stones and charcoal, 
refuse taken from the steaming pits prior to each meal being cooked, were, 
as usual, scattered throughout the midden. 
The Atiawa natives of Waiwhetu term Amphibola crenata the takarepo, 
but it is known among other tribes as titiko, whetiko, and several other 
names. 
A few small deposits of shell refuse east of the mouth of the Waiwhetu 
contain Chione stutchburyi, Mesodesma novae-zelandiae, Amphibola crenata, 
and a few Ostrea. Small deposits of shells occasionally seen on hillsides, &c., 
often betoken meals eaten in cultivation grounds, such as potato-gardens. 
It will be noted that the Maori included in his bill of fare many species 
of shell-fish which are never eaten by us, and which, for some reason, we 
seem to look upon as being unfit for human food. 
Such, then, is a brief account of shell-middens of this district, which 
are much smaller than those of many other places, and perhaps less interest¬ 
ing. To render a paper of this nature interesting it should be written by 
one having some knowledge of the science of malacology ; meanwhile the 
present paper serves to record a few rough notes made during many rambles 
round the rugged shores of the Land of Tara. 
