[Proj] Novice Examples?

[Michael Speth]

Greetings,
   I am a new proj.4 user and I would like to try some simple examples.  
I have been reading the user doc as well as the update (proj.4.3.pdf); 
however, I have been unsuccessful with executing the examples listed.

---- [ System Information] ----
System: Ubuntu 11.04 64-bit
Kernel: 2.6.38-11-generic
Proj.4 Version: 4.7.0 compiled from tarball

Here are two examples that show my problem:
---- [Example 1] ----
/opt/proj-4.7.0/src$ ./proj +proj=poly +lon_0=-66 +lat_0=40 -v
Rel. 4.7.1, 23 September 2009
<lt-proj>:
projection initialization failure
cause: major axis or radius = 0 or not given
program abnormally terminated

---- [Example 2] -----
/opt/proj-4.7.0/src$ ./proj +proj=poly +lon_0=-60 -E <<EOF
 > # sample points
 > 65W 43d15N
 > -55 37.33
 > EOF
Rel. 4.7.1, 23 September 2009
<lt-proj>:
projection initialization failure
cause: major axis or radius = 0 or not given
program abnormally terminated
---------------------------

It seems that I am not providing the radius or major axis.  Is this 
correct, if so, how do I provide this information?

Thank you for your help

--
Michael Speth
Landcare Research
Scientific Programmer