THE YKAK AM) ITS SKASONS 265 



August, September, October, November, December. 

 The unequal length of the months is sometimes con- 

 fining. Some have 31 days, others 30; February 

 has 28 or 29, according to the year." 



4 'For my part," said Claire, "I should find it hard 

 to tell whether May, September, and other months 

 have 30 or 31 days. How can one remember which 

 months have 31 days and which 30?" 



"A natural calendar, engraved on our hands, 

 teaches us in a very simple way. Close the fist of 

 the left hand. At the knuckles the four fingers, 

 other than the thumb, from each a bump, separated 

 by a hollow from the next bump. Place the index 

 finger of the right hand in turn on these bumps and 

 hollows, beginning with the little finger, and at the 

 same time name the months of the year in order: 

 January, February, March, etc. "When the series of 

 the four fingers is exhausted, return to the starting- 

 point and continue naming the twelve months on the 

 bumps and hollows. Well, all the months corre- 

 sponding to the bumps have 31 days; all those cor- 

 responding to the hollows, 30. You must except 

 February, answering to the first hollow. That has 

 28 or 29 days, according to the year." 



"Let me try," proposed Claire. "We '11 see how 

 many days May has : January, bump ; February, hol- 

 low; March, bump ; April, hollow ; May, bump. May 

 has 31 days." 



" It is as easy as that," said her uncle. 



"My turn now," interposed Jules. "Let us try 

 September: January, bump; February, hollow; 

 March, limi}>; April, hollow : May. luini].; Junr, hoi 



