In the Swedish almanac, until it was modernised in the year 1901, Swedish names stood beside the Latin. They ran:--_Torsmånad_, _Göjem._, _Vårm._ (spring month), _Gräsm._ (grass month), _Blomsterm._ (month of flowers), _Sommarm._, _Höm._ (hay month), _Skördem._ (harvest month), _Höstm._ (autumn month), _Slaktm._ (slaughtering month), _Vinterm._, _Julm._ It is true that these names were never used. The series has arisen from an older one which is first attested for the year 1538. In the latter three months have Latin names, _Marsmånad_, _Aprilmånad_, _Majmånad_, October is named _Winmånad_ (vine-month), December _Christmånad_. These names shew that the series is of German origin; in Sweden vines are not cultivated, and December 24th is never called Christmas Eve but Yule Eve. The list agrees with one given by Weinhold, p. 8, which as early as the 15th century was common to all Germany, and the agreement is shewn also in this point that, as is often the case in German lists, the months 3, 4, and 5 retain their Latin names. When it is further remembered that _Augst_ means ‘harvest’, the variations will be seen to consist only in the substitution of the old names _Tor_ and _Göje_ for _Jenner_ and _Hornung_ and the renaming of ‘the fallow month’ (_Brachmonat_) from midsummer, which is in Sweden a great popular festival. The more suitable _Slakt-_ and _Julmånad_ were substituted for _Win-_ and _Christmånad_ in 1608 by the almanac-maker Forsius: the three Latin names were first exchanged for Swedish in 1734 by the almanac-maker Hiorter[1020]. There is moreover one Swedish name which is still very popular and which falls outside the usual series, viz. _rötmånaden_ (‘the rotten month’), so named because it falls in the most sultry time of the summer, when it is very difficult to keep meat and other food from going bad. It is fixed at the time in which the sun stands in Leo (July 22-Aug. 23; about July 13-Aug. 14, old style). Formerly it was known as ‘the Dog-days’,--a translation of _dies caniculares_--and the position varied considerably. The period descends from the period of the Etesian in the ancient Greek calendar, and it was not till the 17th century that it was generally equated to the time during which the sun stands in Leo[1021].