"They have enormous holes in their Ears, but what their Chief ear ornaments are I cannot say. I have seen some with a ring fixed in the hole of the Ear, but not hanging to it, also some with rings made of some elastick substance roled up like the Spring of a Watch, the design of this must be to extend or increase the hole."

"Both Men and Women have very large holes or rather slits in their Ears, extended to near three Inches in length, they some times turn this slit over the upper part and then the Ear looks as if the flap was cut off. The chief Ear Ornament is the white down of feathers and Rings which they wear in the inside of the hole made of some elastick substance, roll'd up like the spring of a Watch, I judged this was to keep the hole at is utmost extension."

(Beaglehole)