HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
451 
ever, of the kind exists. Their annual festival, the Fan- 
droana, can happen only on a Thursday or a Sunday, and 
on one of these two days alternately every year. And by 
this arrangement, together with the allowance for Vintana, 
(which can be made to suit their actual observations on the 
changes of the moon, at the close of the year,) it so occurs, 
that their computations are corroborated by their senses, 
and they see the new moon about the time their Mpanandro 
predict there is to be one. 
It may not be altogether unworthy of remark, that the 
names of the twelve moons, used in the interior, are those 
which Flacourt has given as the names of the 12 signs of 
the zodiac, and as used by the Malagasy for that purpose 
in the province of Anosy. The names used for the months 
of the year, as given by the same writer, nearly correspond 
with those given for the East, page 224 of this volume. 
The inhabitants of Imerina must have received therefore 
the names of their months from the natives in the south¬ 
east of the island; but instead of applying them to the 
zodiac, of which they seem to have no idea, they have 
applied them to their moons. The meaning of the names 
corresponds with the signs of the zodiac; at least, they 
correspond in part in Imerina, and probably more so, or 
entirely, in the provinces to the south, where they were, 
most likely, first introduced by the Arabs. 
As the work of Flacourt has become scarce, it may not 
be unacceptable to present here the list he has given of the 
names now mentioned for the sake of comparison. (See 
first column in page 452.) 
Autumn* Alahemali.Aries. 
Azoro.. Taurus. 
Alizozo ....... Gemini. 
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