36 
times of Toetoe (Arundo conspicua). Baskets, large and small, plain, 
and highly ornamented, and dyed, for all manner of uses, were woven 
of the same materials; and sometimes the leaves of the Ti (Cordyline 
australis,) and of the Nikau Palm (Areca sapida,) were also used for the 
same purposes. ‘Their sitting and sleeping places were strewed with the 
leaves of the Toetoe, or of Ranpo; with the soft fragrant grass Karetu 
( Hierochloe redolens,) when in season, and sometimes with the leaves of 
the Papaauma, (Coprosma grandifolia) ; for visitors of rank, however, 
the fronds of the different tree ferns were used, particularly of the 
Ponga (Cyathea dealbata). The New Zealanders were often curiously 
particular as to what plants were used tied around, or under and over, 
their vegetable food in their cooking ovens in the earth; for instance, 
the roots of the Tikoraha (Cordyline stricta), were tied separately for 
baking in bundles of Hangehange (Geniostoma ligustrifolium) ; for their 
Kao, or prepared sweet potatoes, they used the leaves of the Parataniwha 
(Elatostemma rugosum) ; generally, however, they used the fronds of 
the larger ferns, Lomuria procera, and Gloniopteris pennigera. Fire, by 
friction, was obtained from several woods; the Kaikomako (Pennantia 
corymbosa) was, however, the one most prized, and also the Pate 
(Scheflera digitata); and a trunk stem of the Kohia (Passifora 
tetrandra) was often sought to carry fire on a journey, as it had the 
quality of a slow-burning match. The green leaves and branchies of the 
Kawakawa (Piper excelswm), were gathered and laid in rows in their 
plantations of Kumara, or sweet potatoes, between the beds, and there 
slowly burnt, that the insects which injured the growing plant might be 
destroyed by the disagreeable bitter smoke. The Hue, or gourd, (a 
species of Cucurbitew), gave useful Calabashes, and vessels of several 
kinds and sizes, from a gill to three gallons, for many purposes. Some- 
times, however, large sections of the great sea-weed, Rimurapa, (D’ Ur- 
villea utilis) were inflated and used as Calabashes, called Powha, par- 
ticularly for holding cooked animal food in its own fat, and for oil. The 
bark of the Totara was also skilfully made up into neat vessels, for 
holding and carrying of water. (3.) Of Plants and vegetable substances 
used as Ornament, &c., the following are the principal :—For Dyes, the 
bark of the Hinau, and of the Pokaka (L/eocarpus dentatus, and 
FTookerianus), and also of the Makomako, (Aristotelia racemosa), were 
used for black; and the bark of the Tanekaha, or T'oatoa, (Phyllocladus 
trichomanoides), for red. Oil, for anointing, was expressed from the 
beaten seeds of the Titoki or Titongi, (Alectryon excelsum), and also 
