500 REV. S. J. WHITMEE ON PALOLA ViRIDIS. — [June 19, 
which I include the notice of the appearance of Palolo in Fiji in 
November 1861, given in Dr. Seemann’s work already mentioned. 
From Nov. 25th, 1861, to Nov. 14th, 1862, 12 lunations. 
,, Oct. 16th, Oct. 23rd, 
ae oe raat scab rgltl New. ener iSGestee os 
5 Oct. 23rd, 1864, to Oct. 12th, 1865, 12 3 
, Oct. 12th, 1865, to Oct. 31st, 1866, 13 = 
5» Oct. 31st, 1866, to Oct. 21st, 1867, 12 a 
Oct. 2st, 1867, to Oct.” 9th, ~ 1868, 12 = 
» Oct. 9th, 1868, to Oct.24th, 1872, 50 om 
Se leks be 4 ae Oct. 12th, peg o, 
Noy Dade (rane { coke LEAS SLRS seta 
From the above table it appears that either in 1862-1563 or 
1863-1864 there were 13 lunations; I believe it was in 1862-1863, 
for the following reason. If there were only 12 lunations that year, 
then the Palolo appeared on the 4th of October, 1863, a date earlier 
than any I have heard of. Inthe interval between Mr. Brown's obser- 
vation on Oct. 9th, 1868, and my first observation on Oct. 24th, 1872, 
there were 50 lunations—2 seasons of 12 lunations each, and 2 of 
13 each. I believe the long periods of 13 lunations occurred in 
1868-1869 and 1871-1872; for if there were only 12 lunations in 
these years, then the Palolo appeared on the 28th and 24th of 
September respectively ; and these dates are, according to all our 
information, too early for the appearance of the worm. Hence I 
believe the periods of 13 lunations to have been regularly every 
third year, as follows :—1862—1863, 1865-1866, 1868-1869, and 
1871-1872. 
But the regular addition of one lunation every third year would still 
lead to a change in the months of the Palolo’s appearance. ‘The 
37 lunations of a three years-cycle are rather more than 3 days less 
than 3 solar years*. Hence to keep the season from changing 
from October and November to September and October, &c., an extra 
lunation would need to be intercalated about every 30 years or rather 
less +. If this were not done, the season would still change more than 
* The above is a rough estimate ; the following is the exact time :— 
CL Aa EE 
Three mean solar years = ......seeeeeseeee0see L095 18 27 27 
Thirty-seven lunations = ......:.-..essseeeeee ees 1092 15 19 14 
Excess of 3 solar years above 37 lunations... 3 3 8 13 
+ The intercalation of 2 lunations in 57 years would be required, making a 
large cycle of two unequal periods, viz. one of 28 and the other of 29 years. 
This will be seen by the following :— 
The excess of 34 3h 8™ 13s every third year d. h m 3. 
would amount in 57 years t0..........6....6-. BON Md She? 
Two intercalated lunations (one 28 years and 
aril nee OA) Saeed. Bagseevesde Licceseny Oe Ol 28 
Leaving an excess in 57 years of only ......... OS Mame 3) 
This is less than one day in an entire century. 
[These notes I add March 17th, 1875.—S. J. W.] 
