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Show 1861, to Nov. 14th, 1862, 12 lunations. 1862, to I 2ct' 2*Ji' i 1864, 25 1864,' to [ONcotv.. 1221tsth,, J 1865,' 12 1865, to Oct. 31st, 1866, 13 1866, to Oct. 21st, 1867, 12 1867, to Oct. 9th, 1868, 12 1868, to Oct. 24th, 1872, 50 '^'"{Sov.luh;}1 8'3-12 n n *» )> ii it 500 REV. S. J. WHITMEE ON PALOLA VIRIDIS. [Jlllie 15, 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, „ Oct. 16th, 1 „ Nov. 14th, / „ Oct. 23rd, „ Oct. 12th, ,, Oct. 31st, „ Oct. 21st, „ Oct. 9th, „ Oct. 24th, 1 „ Nov.22nd, j From the above table it appears that either in 1862-1863 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. In the interval between Mr. Brown's observation on Oct. 9th, 1868, and m y 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 iu 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 regularlv 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 f. If this were not done, the season would still change more than * The above is a rough estimate ; the following is the exact time :- d. h. m. s. Three mean solar years = 1095 18 27 27 Thirty-seven lunations = 1092 15 19 14 Excess of 3 solar years above 37 lunations ... 3 3 8 13 t 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 3J 3h 8 m 13s every third year d. h. m. s. would amount in 57 years to 59 11 35 7 Two intercalated lunations (one 28 years and and one 29)= 59 1 28 4 Leaving an excess in 57 years of only 0 9 7 3 This is less than one day in an entire century. [These uotes I add March 17th, 1875.-S. J. W.] - |
