Reflecting in 1769 on the manners and customs of the South Sea islands, Joseph Banks remarked that 'in every expedient for taking fish they are vastly ingenious'. Hence the title of this book on Pacific material culture, past and present. Bringing together an impressive group of scholars of Pacific archaeology, the editors have designed the book as both a thoroughly up-to-date and wide-ranging survey and as a festschrift for museum archaeologist Janet Davidson, until recently based at The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.