NATURAL HISTORY. 
395 
The More, or native rat, is not above half the size of the 
Norway rat (mus ratus) ; it once abounded everywhere; it 
chiefly fed on the mast of the tawai, a species of beech. It 
was formerly valued as an article of food. The English or 
Norway rat is called by the natives pou hawaiM, More pakeha, 
kainga rua. 
The kuri, or native dog, was found when Cook arrived, and 
the natives state it came with them from Hawaiki, when they 
first landed in New Zealand. It was a small long-haired dog, 
of a dirty white or yellow color, with a brushy tail; it has 
now become quite extinct. It does not appear to bear any 
resemblance to the Australian dingo, but is more probably of 
the same species as those still found in the Polynesian Islands. 
New Zealand probably possesses two kinds of bat; the 
pekapeka (vespertilio tuberculatus ); the common one is very 
small, of a yellowish brown, with diminutive rounded ears. 
The seal, mimilia or kekeno (fam. Phocidce), appears to have 
once been very numerous, as their bones are met with in 
considerable quantities along the coast, mingled with those of 
man. In the Middle Island, the rapoka, or sea-bear, was not 
uncommon: the natives formerly captured it, by throwing 
sand in its eyes, and whilst it strove to free itself from the 
annoyance, they fell upon and killed it. It is now seldom 
met with. 
The sea-lion, wakahao (Phoca jubata), or morse, once fre¬ 
quented the shores of the Middle Island. The natives describe 
it as being about the size of the cow. It is said to have been 
of a red color, and to have gone inland to breed, and as 
having been very savage and powerful. One of their chief 
warriors, named Te Wera, was put to flight by this animal, 
although attended by seventy of his followers—hence the 
had been engaged in whaling and sealing in the neighbourhood of Dusky Bay 
for more than twenty-five years, said he had not himself seen the beaver, but 
had several times met with their habitations, and had been surprised by seeing 
little streams dammed up, and houses like bee-hives erected on one side, having 
two entrances, one from above and the other below the dam. One of the 
Camerons, who lived at Kaiwarawara, when the settlers first came to Welling¬ 
ton, stated that he saw one of these large rats and pursued it, but it took to 
the water, and dived out of sight. 
