172 
AMUSEMENTS. 
each other as England and New Zealand, we cannot well help 
allowing that this identity of amusements is likewise a strong 
proof of the identity of our common origin. I remember, 
as a child, joining in the pursuit of an unfortunate white 
butterfly, which we called a Frenchman ; and in after years, 
in France, I was much struck by seeing a number of children 
knock down a red butterfly, a poor queen of the meadows, 
with the cry, Down with the English, down with the Eng¬ 
lish. But this is not so remarkable as our finding games 
and pursuits of children similar to our own in such lone 
islands of the southern hemisphere as New Zealand. 
Te Kahu , or He vianu waka-tuku-tuku, He pakau. —The 
first game presenting this similarity, is that of flying the kite, 
and it is remarkable that their name appears to be drawn from 
the same object as ours. The kite is the old term for the 
hawk, and the name kahu is also that of the same kind 
of bird. Their figure, also, though differing from ours, is 
generally a rough imitation of the bird, with its great out¬ 
spread wings; these kites are frequently made of very large di¬ 
mensions of raupo leaves, a kind of sedge, neatly sewn together, 
and kept in shape by a slight frame-work; the string is most 
expeditiously formed, and lengthened at pleasure, being 
merely the split leaves of the flax plant: this is a very 
favourite amusement. 
He poro.—He pot aka. — He kaihora.—He kaihotaka. —The 
whipping-top, is another game which is played in every part 
of the island ; the top used is more of a cone, and of less 
diameter than our English one, but in other respects is just 
the same. 
He whai , or maui. —The cat’s-cradles, is a game very similar 
to our own, but the cord is made to assume many more 
forms, and these are said to be different scenes in their 
mythology, such as Hine-nui-te-po, mother night bringing 
forth her progeny, Mam and the gods, and Maui fishing up 
the land. Men, canoes, houses, &c., are also represented. 
Some state that Maui invented this game. 
He piu. —The skipping-rope. Two generally hold the rope, 
and a third skips over it; sometimes they tie one end to a post 
