450 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
Two days are then allowed for the vintana of the moon, 
and the second moon commences. Its names are the same 
as those annexed, beginning with Alahamady and ending 
with Alahotsy. The same mode is adopted for each suc¬ 
cessive month of the year, allowing always for the Vintana 
either one day or two days, as invariably fixed. 
The calendar for the year therefore stands thus— 
Alahamady.. 28 days. 
Vintana, called Vava in Alahamady, and 
Tara in Alahamady, (reckoned a second 
time before Adaoro begins) ..... 2 „ 
2d and 3d months, 28 each.56 „ 
1 day Vintana to each, intercalary .... 2 „ 
3 remaining months in the points of the 
diagram, 4th, 7th, and 10th, at 28 each . 84 „ 
2 days Vintana to each as above .... 6 „ 
6 remaining months, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 
12th, at 28 . . ... . 168 „ 
1 day each Vintana to ditto. 6 „ 
And before commencing the new year addi¬ 
tional . 2 „ 
Total 354 
It is obvious that this calculation of 354 days to the year 
is a very near approximation to the true time occupied by 
twelve synodical revolutions of the moon, viz. 
days, hours, min. sec. 
12 x 29 . 12.44.3 = 354.8.48.36. 
In three years, however, the difference of a whole day 
might convince the Malagasy that their calculations must 
be erroneous; and in the lapse of a few more years, they 
might find the moon at the full , while their calendar 
announced only new moon. No practical difficulty, how- 
