668 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION G. 



The word is prefixed to tlie names of tribal districts, e.^. Numei- 

 Kasarumhni, "the land of the Kasaruraeni." A roof-gutter 

 is a niimei nanu, " the place of water." The grate of a stove 

 is a numei ningum, " the place of fire ; " literally it is " moon of 

 the field." Natives begin to prejDare new plantations. I 

 identify it with kuramai of the Kw dialect. Two moons may 

 pass by under this name. 



(2.) Mauk-itau. — The moon for making mounds in which 

 the yam is planted. These mounds are called 7iitan, " a 

 hillock." In 1890, Mauk-itau began in the end of September. 

 I am not certain that Taney au is its equivalent in the 

 Kwamera dialect. 



(3.) Mauk-eib/ung. — The moon for training the yam tendrils, 

 A staging of reeds is made as shown here, and on this the 

 yam tendrils are trained. To do this is to eibhing. The 

 Kwamera name, I take it, means to " tie with a rattan," — 

 ahus, "a rattan," ehrl, "to tie." In 1890, this month began 

 on October 16th. 



{Ai.) ]\1auTilaulau or Mauklalu. — There is some uncertainty 

 about the meaning of this name. I first took the name to 

 describe the state of yam tendrils which cover everything, as 

 melons cover the ground where they are planted. But it may 

 have reference to the work of the month — " hoeing," from 

 kahlu, " a hoe." This agrees with the Kwamera name, 

 kurarurar, which means " hoeing." In 1890, this moon began 

 November 13th. 



(5.) MauTiliislus. — Liisliis is the term applied to the yam 

 " seed." The new yam roots have begun to form and the 

 plant is independent of its parent " seed," which the natives 

 now remove. In cases where a whole large yam has been 

 set, the yam will be quite good. It is taken away to be used 

 for food. This moon name runs a great risk of being left 

 out of the count ; I identify it with Tamtamuku in Kwamera 

 dialect. Compare Weasisi tumnumiit, " rotten," It is the 

 end of the old days. 



(6.) VerUum. — Everything is full of sap,vegetation luxuriant, 

 rain abundant. Given to Mr. Watt (Kwamera) as a month 

 of the old days. Food is plentiful. Terum means to be 

 " full of water," as a water-hole, cup, or basin. 



(7.) Naungwa. — It is described by natives as the month 

 when the trees are forming their fruit. It is given by the 

 Kwamera natives as a moon of the old, days which it can 

 hardly be, unless we make a difference of two or three months 

 in reckoning. That is the Kwamera people are that much 



