Mommsen has attempted to fix these days as March 24 and May 24,[908] on which the rex sacrificulus performed comitial ceremonies not clearly described by the sources.[909] He admits, however, that the testamentary comitia met under the pontifex maximus rather than under the rex sacrorum[910]—a fact directly opposed to his contention. We should be surprised also to find the testamentary days so close together.[911] But the most effective argument against his view is that this function performed by the rex sacrorum could not have been the holding of comitia, for the time during which it continued was nefas.[912] The ancient authorities state that “the sacrificial king, after performing sacred rites, comes into, or makes a sacrifice in (venit or litat), the comitium,”[913] but they do not mention an assembly; hence we may infer that in the fasti for these days reference is to some other function than the holding of comitia. The form of testament above described fell early into disuse,[914] so that the conditions and ceremonies attending it became a subject of study for antiquarians. Adoptions ordinarily came before the praetor. The legal object was the perpetuation of the family and its religion. The law granted the privilege accordingly to those only who had no children and who were incapable of having children. It required further that the act should not imperil the continuance of the family from whom the adopted came.[915] Adrogatio was the adoption of a person who was his own master and who accordingly consented to pass under the paternal power of another. The word signifies that the act to which it applies required a vote of the people.[916] It was not undertaken rashly or without careful consideration.[917] The persons concerned were required first to present the case to the college of pontiffs, who took into account “what reason any one has for adopting children, what considerations of family or dignity are involved, what principles of religion are concerned.”[918] The age of the man who wished to arrogate was considered—whether in this respect he was capable of having children of his own, and care was taken that the property of the arrogated person should not be insidiously coveted.[919] The adrogator was asked whether he wished the candidate for adoption to be his real son, and the candidate was asked whether he would allow himself to be placed in this condition;[920] and the testimonies were confirmed by an oath formulated by Q. Mucius Scaevola.[921]