ABSTRACT
This paper examines the technical and ecological efficiency of Nuaulu hunting. For the purpose of this paper, the author use 'hunting' to refer to the appropriation of all non-domesticated terrestrial vertebrates, and to include such marginal strategies as ambushing, besetting and trapping where the target is non-domesticated terrestrial vertebrates. It is a reasonable prediction that the hunting efficiency of individuals varies, and does so according to age, and also according to amount of time spent hunting (experience) and technical competence. In calculating the duration of hunting trips, the author have relied mainly upon absences from the village which respondents indicated were devoted to 'hunting'. In other words, whatever their efficiency, the level of Nuaulu hunting does seem to be nutritionally critical, especially given the relatively low contribution of vegetable protein, which is largely due to the importance of protein-deficient sago.
