The figurative expressions used by Lhotas in jest or for purposes of abuse are so apt and to the point that they deserve brief notice. A dwarfish person is called either hampochütang (fowl’s-dung) or zitsenaro (mouse). A woman of loose morals is called nyanyavu (she-goat) or ntsingo (a small fish with the reputation of taking any bait thrown to it). The expression wokomhi (pig’s tail) is applied to a fussy man who is always running backwards and forwards. Nangkinangka (chrysalis) denotes a sulky man. Shamakok (wasp) is a man with a very small waist. Potak (duck) is a man who waggles his posterior as he walks. In a quarrel a man will sometimes address his opponent as sakaptso (“born under the verandah of the house,” i.e. bastard), and will be called songkoptso (“born under the granary”) in return. A man with no teeth is nicknamed okingkham (open door), and so on. Baby Language. An English mother who says to her baby, “Didums wantum’s bottleums denums?” uses language sufficiently like that in ordinary use to be intelligible to a mere bachelor, but the Lhotas have a curious custom, when addressing small children, of using words which are in no way connected with the speech of every-day life. For instance, “boiled rice” is called mama, “madhu” is koko, “rain” is tsetse, “eat” is hamto, “go to sleep” is shoboto, “get up” is hoksi, “sit down” is phato, “go along” is tsatsato, “I will smack you” is khakto, and so on. The origin of this baby dialect is unknown, but it is noticeable that the Aos use almost identical words in addressing their children. PART VII APPENDICES APPENDIX A THE LHOTA CALENDAR The Lhota divides the year into twelve lunar months, [228] which are named as follows:— Ndri (February). “The month of the ndri flower.” Emhu (March). “The blowing month.” Ephi (April). “The dry month.” Cheshi (May). “The watching month,” i.e. all watch to see if the crops will sprout well. Oten (June). “The month of millet” (teni). Nnung (July). Derivation unknown. Chikanika (August). “The month of quarrels,” because poor men have come to the end of their resources and try to borrow from rich men, who refuse to lend. Ndrangtso (September). “The bursting month,” because the pots are bursting with new rice. Rongorongyi (October). “The going backwards and forwards month,” i.e. carrying the crop up to the village. Chopuk (November). “The month of ease.” Shotokuk (December). “The month of ceremonies.” Echon (January). “The spreading month,” i.e. the rats scatter the straw about the abandoned fields.