Puutoorino

ugle-flute (putorino); The flute has a tubular shape and oval cross section, tapering towards the ends. The central mouthpiece may be a replacement or may have been slotted in separately, and has a figure of eight orifice, carved in relief. The flute has been made from two pieces of wood, which are bound together with cane lashing in four bands. The carved decoration consists of an anthropomorphic figure projecting diagonally at the mouthpiece, carved in relief in the form of a stylised face with an open mouth. There is a small relief carving at the closed end of the flute.The flute has been included in the Robertson catalogue as from the original Hunter bequest. It was later mistakenly catalogued as a donation from Dr. Turner, however there is no record of Maori artefacts in Turner's 1860 list of objects. The original cataloguing and the 18th century style suggest it may have been obtained during the Cook voyages and donated to Hunter before the museum moved.