or Kukupa
Maori namefor the New Zealand Fruit-pigeon (q.v.), Carpophaganovae-zelandiae, Gmel. Called also Kereru.The name is the bird's note.
1820. `Grammar and Vocabulary of Language of New Zealand'(Church Missionary Society), p. 170:
«Kuku, s. the cry of a pigeon.»
1855. Rev. R. Taylor, `Te Ika a Maui,' p. 406:
«Family Columbidae – – kereru, kukupa (kuku, CarpophagaNovae Zealandiae), the wood-pigeon. This is a very finelarge bird, the size of a duck; the upper part of the breastgreen and gold, the lower a pure white, legs and bill red. Itis a heavy flying bird, and very stupid, which makes it an easyprey to its enemies. The natives preserve large quantities incalabashes, taking out the bones; these are called kuku.»
Ibid. p. 183:
«The pigeon bears two names – – the kuku and kukupa, which arecommon to the isles.»
1881. J. L. Campbell, `Poenamo,' p. 115:
«The kukupa . . . was just the bird created expressly for thetrue cockney sportsman – – the one after his heart . . . for if notbrought down by the first shot, why he only shakes his feathersand calmly waits to be shot at again!»
1883. F. S. Renwick, `Betrayed,' p. 45:
«The kuku, plaintive, wakes to mourn her mate.»