Bissextile

[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.