Snaring Kakas.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 660, 13 January 1933, Page 6

Snaring Kakas .

Nature Notes.

By James Drummond, F.L.S., F.Z.S.

A BOUT SIXTY YEARS AGO, a solitary lofty rata tree stood on the south side of the Grey River, near Greymouth. Maoris built a small whare, made of poles and rushes, in the tree top. A fowler sat in the whare with a tame kaka, used as a decoy, fastened to a pole, and there he snared surprisingly large numbers of kakas. He tormented the decoy until it screeched. Other kakas came to see what the matter was, and they were caught in the fowler’s hand. As all the captives set up a screeching, the tree became alive with kakas. A Maori girl snared as many as 120 in a single afternoon. Tame kakas-kept in the Maori settlement were general favourites. Women and children, on their journeys, carried their pets fastened to poles by a ring on one foot. Maoris sometimes attracted kakas' attention without the help of a decoy, by imitating the kakas’ notes. This is done easily, as the notes are loud, clear and distinctly uttered. A sailor who went ashore and lived with the Maoris there became a skilful mimic. Three years later, when he was gold digging on the New River, in the Grey district, it was part of his day’s work to provide as many kakas as possible for a party of four.