1919.] Morgan.—Permo-Carboniferous (Maitai) Rocks. 35 
the writer, states that the Mount St. Mary fauna is obviously the same 
as the Kaihiku (Ladinic-Carnic), and contains Daonella indicct. 
Note on Supposed Mesozoic Limestones. 
In various parts of New Zealand limestones or marbles which are 
generally referred to a Middle or Early Mesozoic period have been dis¬ 
covered. There is a strong probability that some of these are of Maitai age. 
Among these are the marbles of the Malvern Hills (already mentioned), 
Kakahu Gorge, the Horse Range, Eketahuna, and the Whangaroa district. 
Hard blue limestone of the Horse Range or Dunback type is known to 
occur in Block X, Ngapara Survey District, inland from Oamaru.* 
A MAORI FISH-TRAP SHOWING UNUSUALLY FINE 
WORKMANSHIP. 
By Elsdon Best, Dominion Museum, Wellington. 
An interesting relic of the pre-European type of Maori industry has lately 
been received at the Dominion Museum. It consists of a fish-trap of such 
remarkably fine workmanship that we have scarcely any similar fabric with 
which it can be compared. The rush traps, made of a species of Cladium 
by the natives of Roto-a-Ira and elsewhere, cannot be compared with it. 
The newly acquired specimen of native handicraft, though much broken on 
one side, is yet an excellent illustration of the great pains taken by the 
neolithic artisans of Maoriland in the manufacture of implements of com¬ 
mon use. For this trap we are indebted to the staff of the Waihi-Paeroa 
Gold-extraction Company, it having been rescued from the bed of the 
Ohinemuri River at Paeroa in the dredging operations being carried on 
at that place by the above company. There is, of course, no means of 
ascertaining the age of this object, but such material is very durable, and 
might well be preserved for a long period under water. Local natives 
state that no such fine work has been done in that district for many years 
past. 
The implement is a self-acting basket trap of the hinaki, or eel-pot, form, 
so well known to those acquainted with the Maori. The size and shape of 
the trap, with its funnel-shaped entrance, as also the material of which it 
is made, and the mode of manufacture, are simply those of the ordinary 
hinaki of northern districts ; its special interest consists of the fineness 
of material and neatness of the workmanship. The construction of this 
implement must have been a long and tedious task ; the preparation of 
the material alone would certainly occupy many days. 
The length of the trap is 3 ft. ; its diameter at the large end 16 in. 
Its shape is that of the ordinary form of hinaki tuna, or eel-pot, the 
diameter of the larger end being carried for about half the length, after 
which a gradual tapering-off reduces it to a conical rear end. At the big- 
end is the usual funnel-shaped entrance passage, to the small inner end of 
which a piece of netting would be attached when the trap was in use, its 
object being to prevent the escape of entrapped fish. 
* James Park, N.Z. Geol. Surv. Bull. No. 20, footnote, p. 12, 1918. 
