Bissextile

The day which is added every fourth year to the month of February, in order to make the year agree with the course of the sun. It was called "bissextile" because in the Roman calendar it was fixed on the sixth day before the calends of March (whiqh The first was called bissextus prior, and the other bissextus posterior, but the latter was properly called "bissextile" or "intercalary" day. BLACK ACRE and WHITE ACRE. Terms used by the old writers to distinguish one parcel of land from another, to avoid ambiguity, as well as the inconvenience of a full description. They are mere names of convenience, adopted, as "A." and "B." are, to distinguish persons or things under similar circumstances.

The day which is added every fourth year to the month of February, in order to nial^e the year agree with the course of the sun. By statute 21 Hen. III., the 28th and 29th of February count together as one day. This statute is in force in some of the United States. Porter v. Holloway, 43 Ind. 35; Harker v. Addis, 4 Pa. 515. A writ in 1256 to the justices of the bench, relating to the manner in which Leap Year should be counted, had the force of a statute. Holdsw. Hist. E. L. 174. It Is called bissextile, because In the Roman calendar it was fixed on the sixth day before the calends of March (which answers to the twenty-fourth day of February), and this day was counted twice; the first was called bissextus prior, and the other bissextus posterior; but the latter was properly called bissextile or intercalary day. See Calendar.

Thd year in which a 'ary to keep the calendar year year.

The day which is added every fourth year to the month of February, in order to make the year agree with the course of the sun. Leap year, consisting of 366 days, and happening every fourth year, by the addition of a day in the month of February, which in that year consists of twenty-nine days. BLACK ACRE and WHITE ACRE,

See Year.

[Lat. bissextilis, from bis, twice, and sexti Us, the sixth.] Leap year is so called because in the Roman calendar, frond which it is derived, the sixth day before the calends of March, (called sexto calendas Mar tit), was twice reckoned, viz. on the 24th and 25th of February, (or rather, the 24th was reckoned twice,) in every fourth year, making such year properly to consist of 366 days. CowelL Blount. 2 £1. Com, 141. The sttne object is now attained by adding a day at the end of the month of February. Brande, By the statute De anno bissextili, 21 Hen. III. it was enacted that the increasing day {dies excrescens) in the leap year, and the day next before, shall be accounted but one day. Termes de la ley. This is still the law, and a similar provision has been expressly enacied in some of the United States. 1 N. Y. Rev, St. [606], 615, § 3. Bracton devotes a considerable space in his tract " On Essoins," to the explanation of the bissextile year, which he calls the greater {annua major ^ as distinguished from the lesser or usual year. Bract, lib. 5, tr. 2, c. 13, fol. 359.