As to the stellar science of the Melanesians we are very variously informed. The tribes of the Torres Straits have a richly developed mythology and observation of the stars[528]. They distinguish the planets from the fixed stars, at least they notice that Venus does not twinkle[529]. The Banks Islanders never travel by night, and consequently do not use the stars in navigation; in consequence of this, says our authority, no definite information about the names of stars or constellations could be obtained. A native gave a few names, but could not point out the stars which they were said to denote[530]. The Moanu of the Admiralty Islands understand the moon and the stars, but the Matankor know neither stars nor moon[531]. A statement such as this must be received with great reserve, especially when it comes from a native of another tribe. In any case it would constitute an exception, since extremely primitive tribes know the stars quite well, the natives of New Britain and of the Solomon Islands even very well. The Pleiades and _corona borealis_ play an important part (cp. below, p. 141). The former are called in Lambutjo _kiasa_, on the Gazelle Peninsula ‘the People-at-the-feast’, and on Bambatana and Alu the year is reckoned according to them: the Crown is called in Lambutjo ‘the Fisher’, in Buin ‘Taro-leaf-greens’, on the Gazelle Peninsula ‘the Thornback’. Further star-names are:--for the Hyades in Buin ‘Earth-rat’, in Lambutjo _kapet_, a large net for deep water, on the Gazelle Peninsula _kakapepe_, a kind of small fish, the star in the middle of the constellation is called ‘Hog-fish’. Cygnus is called in Buin ‘Hog-bearer’, in Lambutjo ‘the Three Men’. ‘The Dog’ or ‘Shark’ is a large star ‘that pursues the Fishes’. Many myths are told of the stars[532]. Another authority remarks that the natives of the Solomon Islands are more concerned about the stars than the eastern Polynesians, perhaps because of their longer sea-voyages. The possibility of influence from the astronomically learned Polynesians must also probably be entertained. The people of Santa Cruz and the Reef Islands excel all others in their practical astronomy. The natives of Banks Island and the northern New Hebrides content themselves with distinguishing only the Pleiades, by which the approach of the yam-harvest is marked, and with calling the planets _masoi_ from their roundness, as distinct from _vitu_, ‘star’. In Florida the early morning star is called ‘the Quartz-pebble-for-setting-off-to-sea’: when it rises later, however, it is ‘the Shining-stone-of-light’. The Pleiades are ‘the Company of Maidens’, Orion’s belt is ‘the War-canoe’, the evening star ‘Listen-for-the-oven’ because the daily meal is taken as evening draws on. All stars are called dead men’s eyes. At Saa the Southern Cross is a net with four men letting it down to catch palolo, and the Pointers are two men cooking what has been caught--because the