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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9018, 3 January 1908, Page 4

The year just ushered in is Leap Year, orßisextile, the name given in England to every year of 366 days. The length of the year is a little less than 365J days. Julius Caesar, in reforming the calendar, arranged that in every fourth year February 1 should have 29 days instead of 28, and that two days should be failed by the same name. The day whose name was repeated was, according to the Roman method of reckoning, the sixth before the calends of March, that is, the 24th February, and the year in which this name was given to two successive days was named "Bisfixtile"("bis," twice; "sextus," sixth). The name Leap Year is alleged to be due to the notion that the calendar takes a leap of onn day every fourth year to make up for its ordinary year being a quarter of a day too short. Every year is a leap year, which is divisible by four without remainder, excepting the concluding years of centuries, every fourth only of which is a leap year. This is the year when maidens are supposed to have the privilege of putting themselves forward, without immodesty, to the extent of asking their lovers to become their spouses; but if they have ever utilised the occasion both parties have, as a rule, kept the world in ignorance of the fact.