eatures, erect muscular proportions, and
lank hair, with a boldness in the gait of a warrior, wholly
differing from that of the second and inferior race, who have a
complexion brown-black, hair inclining to the wool, like the
Eastern African, stature short, and skin exceeding soft." The
writer rightly connects the latter people with the stock which
we now call Melanesian. Compare also R. Taylor, _Te Ika A Maui_,
pp. 13 _sqq._, who says (p. 13), "The Melanesian preceded the
Polynesian.... The remains of this race are to be seen in every
part of New Zealand, especially among the Nga-ti-ka-hunu, to
which the derisive name of Pokerekahu--Black Kumara--is applied.
The Maori traditions preserve both the names of the canoes which
brought them to New Zealand, as well as of the chiefs who
commanded them; several of these records make mention of their
having found this black race in occupation of the country on
their arrival." The blending of two distinct races, a
light-brown and a dark race, among the Maoris is clearly
recognised by E. Dieffenbach, _Travels in New Zealand_, ii.
8-11. The dark race, he says (pp. 9 _sq._), "has undoubtedly a
different origin. This is proved by their less regularly shaped
cranium, which is rather more compressed from the sides, by
their full and large features, prominent cheek-bones, full lips,
small ears, curly and coarse, although not woolly, hair, a much
deeper colour of the skin, and a short and rather
ill-proportioned figure. This race, which is mixed in insensible
gradations with the former, is far less numerous; it does not
predominate in any one part of the island, nor does it occupy
any particular station in a tribe, and there is no difference
made between the two races amongst themselves; but I must
observe that I never met any man of consequence belonging to
this race, and that, although free men, they occupy the lower
grades; from this we may perhaps infer the relation in which
they stood to the earliest native immigrants into the country,
although their traditions and legends are silent on the
subject."

[15] Elsdon Best, "The Peopling of New Zealand," _Man_, xiv.
(1914) pp. 73 _sq._

[16] (Sir) Arthur Keith, "Moriori in New Zealand," _Man_, xiii.
(1913) pp. 171 _sq._

At the time of their discovery the Maoris had attained to a fai