Besides the solar year, the Indians have also a particular lunar year, which, according to the testimony of Curtius[197], was introduced in the earliest periods, and by which most of them at present are accustomed to form their computations. Some of the inhabitants of the coast of Malabar reckon, as we do in Europe, by solar years; and adopt our _Annum expunctionis_, or leap-year, which they call _Kuttucàla_. Others reckon as we do, but differ from us in regard to the days of the month; as they increase or lessen them without making any variation in the number of the months. Their month begins after the seventh and before the twelfth day of ours, and consequently ends some days later. This difference, however, is not confirmed by the authority of the king or government, but depends merely on the astronomical observations of this or that astronomical sect and school, one of which reckons one way, and another in a different. * * * * * That the reader may form some idea of the lunar months of the Indians, I shall here give the names of the twenty-seven constellations which the moon passes through every month, and to which particular regard has been paid in this division of time. Sir William Jones has transcribed them in the Bengal language; but I shall employ the Malabar and Tamulic. 1. _Ashvadi_, 2. _Bharanì_, 3. _Kártiga_, 4. _Rohanì_, 5. _Magaira_, 6. _Tiruvádira_, 7. _Punarda_, 8. _Aylya_, 9. _Magha_, 10. _Pura_, 11. _Puya_, 12. _Uttara_, 13. _Atta_, 14. _Cittra_, 15. _Ciodi_, 16. _Vishággha_, 17. _Anila_, 18. _Trketta_, 19. _Mula_, 20. _Puráda_, 21. _Uttaráda_, 22. _Tiruvonna_, 23. _Avitta_, 24. _Ciadèya_, 25. _Puraviruttàdi_, 26. _Uttaraviruttàdi_, 27. _Irabadi_. Some add also the twenty-eighth, _Abhijit_. Mr. Sonnerat has totally mutilated these names, which may be found in the second volume of his Voyages. I have written them exactly as they are pronounced in Italian. Whoever will take the trouble to compare them with the Bengalo-Samscredamic appellations, which Sir William Jones has published, will find that they entirely correspond with them, and that the Brahmans on the coast of Malabar understand the Samscred as well as the Brahmans of Bengal and at Benares[198].