COMMON THINGS THE ALMANAC. 



95. The HEGIRA is the era of the Mohammedans. This word 

 signifies FLIGHT, and refers to the flight of Mohammed from 

 Mecca and his taking refuge at Medina, immediately after which 

 his conquests commenced. The date of the Hegira is 622 A.D. 

 But the Mohammedan year does not correspond with the Christian 

 year, being determined by lunar months, and not by the seasons. 

 Thus the year 1267 HEG. commenced on the 6th of November, 

 1850, and the year 1268 HEG. on the 26th of October, 1851, being 

 11 days less in length than the Christian year. The civil year of 

 365 days exceeds 12 mean lunar months of 29^ days by 11 days. 



