78
disappear, and remain hidden in the foliage until it passed over. Many times we profited by the warning thus given, and avoided a soaking, which otherwise we should have had to endure. In the beginning of May, huge flocks of these birds came over from the West Coast to feed on the matai, kahikatea, and miro berries. I have seen them actually darken the sky when betwixt me and the sun. Towards the end of July the same birds would muster for about three days, and then fly westward, leaving the local pigeons in possession of the feeding ground, but with little to feed on. On the departure of the marauders, the local birds sought the tops of the hills, where the pine berries were late in ripening. With those and the broad-leaf berries, which matured in July, they kept going until, in August, the kowhai burst into flower, and they fed on that until September brought them into spring once more, and food far more abundant. Pigeons were best stewed or made into a pie, and pigeon soup was king of the bouillons.
The other staple diet of the pioneers was, as has been mentioned, the wild pig. This animal, as everyone knows, was introduced to
