THE JAVANESE CALENDAR. 821 



ese agriculturist goes to this day by his own calendar, which is based 

 upon the position of Orion and the Pleiades, and the length of the 

 shadow at noon. The geographical situation of Java is such (mean 

 latitude 7 south), that the sun stands at 30-} north of the zenith on 

 the 21st of June, and at 16 south of it on the 21st of December. The 

 shadow, on the 21st of June, falling in a southerly direction, is nearly 

 double the length of the shadow on the 31st of December, which falls 

 in a northerly direction. The shadow requires six months to pass from 

 its greatest length towai*d the south to its greatest length toward the 

 north, and a year to return to the same position. 



If the length of the shadow on the 21st of June is divided into four 

 equal parts, and the length on the 21st of December into two equal parts, 

 we shall have six equal measures of length corresponding with six un- 

 equal intervals of time ; these intervals may then be distinguished ac- 

 cording to the lensrth of the shadow. The Javanese avail themselves 

 of this peculiarity of shadows in their country to adjust the division 

 of their solar year, the first day of which corresponds with the 21st of 

 June of the Gregorian reckoning. They divide the year into twelve 

 unequal months (mangsd), which are respectively 41, 23, 24, 25, 27, 

 43, 43, 26, 25, 24, 23, and 24 days long. Independently of this divis- 

 ion, the farmer plants his rice and other crops according to the height 

 of Orion and the Pleiades above the horizon. This height is taken 

 either at night-fall, half an hour after sunset, or in the morning, half 

 an hour before sunrise. The following are the names of the calendar 

 months, and the most important observations and farmers' rules that 

 are connected with them : 



First month (Kasci), forty-one days, from the 21st of June to the 

 31st of July inclusive. Orion and the Pleiades are visible in the 

 east, respectively 25 and 45 above the horizon. The sun turns back 

 toward the south ; a man's shadow at noon reaches four feet south. 

 The fresh-water fish hoak bettik has one spot on its head. It is time 

 to plant the second crop of rice. 



Second month (Kara), twenty-three days long, from the 1st to the 

 23d of August. The Pleiades are in the zenith, Orion 70 above the 

 eastern horizon. The hoak bettik has two spots. The sun goes farther 

 toward the south. A man's shadow at noon measures two feet south. 



Third month (JTetiga), twenty-four days, from the 24th of August 

 to the 16th of September. Before sunrise the Pleiades are 70 above 

 the western horizon, Orion in the zenith. The leaves begin to fall from 

 the trees. The hoak bettik has three spots. The course of the sun 

 continues to be in the north, and the noonday shadow measures one 

 foot south. The second crop of rice begins to ripen. 



Fourth month (Ifapat), twenty-five days, from the 17th of Sep- 

 tember to the 11th of October. Before sunrise the Pleiades are 50 

 and Orion 70 above the western horizon. The glattiks, or rice-birds, 

 fall upon the fields in multitudes in search of food. The fruit-trees 



