SNAKING OF BIRDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20690, 9 October 1930, Page 16

SNAKING OF BIRDS.

THE INGENIOUS MAORI. METHODS IN EARLY DAYS. As a bird snarer the olden-day Maoii was among tho most ingenious and resourceful of all primitive peoples. Some of tho methods he employed in capturing the birds of the forest, which ho prized as much for their feathers as for their flesh, were described by Mr. A. J. I ycioft in a paper read before the Anthropology and Maori I lace Section of tho Auckland Institute last evening. The chairman of the section, Mr. V. V. Fisher, presided. The spearing of pig was ail old-time practice little heard'of to-day, and very few perfect specimens of the spears 0111lilnved have, been preserved. One spear 30fi. long, is ill the Ulago Museum, and two' more'are in the Wanganui Museum, but until this year Ihe Auckland Museum has been without one. Last April, however, the. curator, Mr. Gilbert Archev, and Mr. I'ycroft visited tho Crewera CoutUry and procured six specimens, about 25ft. m length. They are abont_ 3in. in diameter and have, been cut with stone implements by splitting a. tree down tho centre. Naturally, eroat caution had to bo observed in conveying them to Auckland over winding bush roads. The kaka was snared in great numbers in string loops fixed to the branches. Decovs were employed in tho shape of manacled birds whose cries attracted their fellows who, as soon as they put their feel in the loops, were held fast by a pull on the .ord in the, bauds of tho fowler. Pigeon troughs were, constructed, filled with water and slip-knots so placed over the receptacle that the birds were forced t.j place their heads through tho loops to drink. Tuis, of which the Maoris were very fond, were decoyed by the fowler imitating their call with a leaf between his lips 'I hey settled on a porch in their effort to detect, the whereabouts of tho crv, whereupon the fowler, concealed in a 'fern hut, knocked them off the pole with a stick. Ducks used lo be caught sometimes bv snaring and sometimes by swimmers who approached them in tho water with I heir heads disguised with tree twigs. Kakapo were hunted at, night with dogs, whieh had rattles fastened to their necks to lead the hunters in the dark. Tho kiwi, which could locate worms by listening to the noise they made crawling underground, was also limited with dogs. A largo number of lantern slides illustrated the snaring methods employed.