the parrot is a noisy screamer, and flies about, making the forest resound with its loud cries. This proverb is applied to an inhospitable chief: he does not raise the cheerful cry of “Welcome!” to travellers nearing his village; but when he travels, then, on approaching any place, he sounds his trumpet to get food prepared, and afterwards finds fault with the victuals given him. “He kuukuu tangae nui” = A pigeon bolts its food. Used of a greedy fellow never satisfied. “He kaakaa kai honihoni” = A parrot eats leisurely, bit by bit. Said to a person who eats moderately and slowly. The fourth of their pets was a sea-bird, a large gull = ngoiro, also toroa (Larus dominicanus). This one fared better than any of the others, as it had its liberty, and ran about, and into the sea, and so (in part) fed itself with its own natural food, and back again to the village, which it seemed to take up with—more so than with the people of the place the dogs and the cats. It was only found in the sea-coast villages, and was kept merely for sociality and companionship. The bird was taken away young from its parents, and fed by hand; having had its pinions broken off, it could not now fly. It often emitted a mournful cry when wandering about in the village, which, to me, was not pleasant to hear, as I always fancied it was bewailing its hard lot. Of this bird, too, they had their proverbial sayings, one of which is very neat and pleasing—”Me he toroa ngungunu” = Like a gull folding its wings up neatly. Used of a neat and compact placing of one's flowing mats or garments about one's person, especially by orators when making a speech à la Maori, running up and down. Their true pet, however, was the tuuii = parson-bird (Pros-themadera novæ-zealandiæ). This bird was taken great care of, and kept in a decent rustic cage, entirely for its Maori song, which it was diligently taught. I have known some to live several years in captivity, to look well in their fine plumage, and to sing or repeat words and sentences parrot-like, but with more of life and energy, as if the bird delighted in being noticed, and was showing off. The old Maoris had an especial Maori song which this bird was brought to repeat. Some of its sentences were very quaint—e.g., (in English) thus: “Lo! hast thou heard? Here is the welcome visitor. Where from? Draw nigh. Call hither the dog. Come hither, welcome visitor. From the south is this welcome visitor? From the north is this welcome visitor?” &c. These words were extremely applicable to a party of friends arriving at a village; and if the tuuii in the olden time was so well taught by its owners as to rattle them out on the arrival of visitors it must have been very pleasing to them. At all