chronology, the second month of the year, reckoning from January, first added to the calendar of Romulus by Numa Pompilius.

February derives its name from Februæa, a feast held by the Romans in this month, in behalf of the manes of the deceased; at which ceremony sacrifices were performed, and the last offices were paid to the shades of the defunct.

a common year, consists only of twenty-eight days; but in the bissextile year, it has twenty-nine, on account of the intercalary day, added that year.