A woman is much vexed when any of the flax scraped by her is stolen, and she consults a _tohunga_, in order to discover the thief. Whether the flax has been stolen from her house or from the water, the woman’s house must be _tapu_. No one must be allowed to enter it. This is necessary, that the _makutu_ may take effect, and the person who stole the flax be discovered. So when the woman comes to the _tohunga_ he first asks her “Has any one entered your house?” She replies “No.” Then the _tohunga_ bids her return home, saying “I will come to you at night.” The woman returns home, and at night the _tohunga_ comes to her. He bids her point out her house, and then goes with her to the water side. Having taken off his clothes, he strikes the water with a stick or wand, brought with him for that purpose, and immediately the form of the thief stands before them. The _tohunga_ thus curses it— May your eyes look at the moon— Eyes of flax be yours, Hands of flax be yours, Feet of flax be yours. Let your hands snatch At the rays of the Sun. Let your hands snatch at Whiro, Whiro in vast heaven, Whiro born of Papa. Snatch, snatch at your own head, Perishing in the Night of Darkness, In the Night of Death—Death. _Whakahokitu_ Is the name given to forms of _makutu_ employed to counteract the curse of some other _tohunga_, or wise-man; for whoever practises _makutu_, even though he be skilled in the art, may have to yield to the _mana_ of some other wise-man who can command the assistance of a more powerful _Atua_. The following is a specimen of this kind of _makutu_— Great curse, long curse, Great curse, binding curse, Binding your sacredness To the tide of destruction. Come hither, sacred spell, To be looked on by me. Cause the curser to lie low In gloomy Night, in dark Night, In the Night of ill-omen. Great wind, lasting wind, Changing wind of _Rangi_ above. He falls. He perishes. Cause to waste away the curser _tohunga_. Let him bite the oven-stones. Be food for me, The _tapu_ and the _mana_, Of your _Atua_, Of your _karakia_, Of your _tohunga_. Among the _Atua_ much held in awe by the _Maori_ were the _Atua noho-whare_, or house-dwelling gods—spirits of the germs of unborn infants. They are also known by the name _kahukahu_, the meaning of which word was explained in a former publication. The _Maori_ has also a firm belief in omens derived from dreams, and from any sudden movements of the body or limbs during sleep, all which signs are believed to be warnings from the _Atua_.