palolo appears when one of the Pointers rises above the horizon. The Pleiades are called ‘the Tangle’, the Southern Triangle is ‘Three-men-in-a-canoe’, Mars is ‘the Red Pig’[533]. The Polynesians are very learned in astronomy, and their bold and wide sea voyages have helped to make them so, since in these the stars are their principal guide. The Tahitian, Tupaya, who accompanied Cook on his first voyage, could always point out to him the direction in which Tahiti lay[534]. When the Society Islanders put to sea in the evening, as was most commonly the case in their voyages, one constellation, preferably the Pleiades, was chosen as a point to steer by[535]. A detailed report is given for the Marshall Islands:--In the journey from atoll to atoll the course of the boat is commonly directed from a certain passage, island, or promontory to a passage or promontory of the atoll to be reached. Above this spot stands the star that gives the direction. It is the sailor’s business to know for how many hours a star can serve him as compass, so that immediately after the apparent turning of the star from east to west he may choose another. Of great interest also is the idea of the connexion between the atmospheric and other phenomena and the stars. Certain periods of bad weather recur every year with tolerable regularity, so that the sailors attribute them to the immediate influence of the stars. When, for instance, at 4 o’clock in the morning--at which time the signs of the weather are observed--the stars stand just above the eastern horizon, they stop up the east, so to speak, and prevent the free passage of the wind. But if the pernicious star in question is at the given time 20° or 30° above the horizon, there is enough space between star and horizon for the wind to be released. This strong wind will last until another influential star arises under the first. This lower star acts like a wind-chute placed against an open hut. The strength of the wind is therefore reduced. This explains why every storm is followed by a wind favourable for sailing. For example when Spica is 20° above the horizon a violent storm is developed, but this only lasts until Arcturus some time later becomes visible on the eastern horizon. The most important of the stars that bring bad weather are Spica, Arcturus, Antares, the claw of the Scorpion, Altair, Delphinus, β, μ, λ and γ, ξ, π _Pegasi_. With the rising of Cassiopeia the time of calms begins. Jedada (γ, ζ, π _aquilae_) ‘disembowels the heavens’. Altair is regarded as a bad fellow. When he rises in the east before dawn it is commonly a time when food supplies have run low, so that quarrels arise: only when he rises higher and the hot season (June-August) brings plenty of food, do reconciliation and goodwill return. Of ‘King Jäbro’, the Pleiades, long myths are related: when they emerge from the horizon joy prevails, but tears are shed when they vanish again into the west[536]. The knowledge of the