.'522 -\"^'^ TO THE STUDY OF THE MAYA CODICES. 



Theproof. therefore, that iln' ilimry advanced inrc,i;-,-ir(l to tlie order 

 and the plan of the serirs is ccnvct seems to be cniiclusivc. This 

 probably would have beni (■(.iicfded without the repeated additions 

 given, but these were deemed necessary because of several irregulari. 

 ties fovmd in that portion running through Plates 53a-58a, which 

 constitutes the first half of the series. 



Turning back to our Table VIII, representing that part of the series 

 on Plate 53o, we will consider the three lines of black numerals above 

 the day columns, discussing the irregularities as we proceed. 



The numbers in the first column are ^t, or, according to the expla- 

 nation given, 7 months and 17 days. There is apparently a mistake 

 here, the correct numbers being 8 months and 17 days, as it is 

 the usual custom of the codex to commence numeral series with the 

 prevailing interval; moreover this correction, which has also been 

 made by Dr. Forstemann, is necessary in order to connect rightly 

 with what follows; the counters under this first column require this 

 correction, as they are 8 months, 17 days. Making this change we 

 with the addition. 



Years. Months. Days. 



8 17 First column. Plate 53« (corrected). 



17 14 Second column, Plate 53«. 



Here the author of the codex has made another mistake or varied 

 from the plan of the series. As several similar variations or errors 

 occur in this part of the series, it will be as well to discuss the point 

 here as elsewhere. Dr. F()rstemann, in discussing the series, takes it 

 for granted that these variations are errors of the aboriginal scribe; 

 he remarks that " It is seen here that the writer has corrected several 

 of his mistakes by compensation. For instance, the two first differ- 

 ences should be 177 [8 months, 17 days] and 148 [7 months. 8 days], 

 not 176 and 149," &c. 



This is a strained hypothesis which I hesitate to adopt so long as 

 any other solution of the difficulty can be found. It is more likely 

 that the writer would have corrected his mistakes, if observed, than 

 that he would compensate them by corresponding errors. 



Going back to that part of the series in the lower divisions Avhich 

 has already been exainined and commencing with Plate 51fo (see 

 Table VI), we observe that the numbers in the lowest of the three 

 lines of black niimerals, immediately over the day columns, and the 

 first day of these columns are as follows (omitting the week days at- 

 tached) : 



14 11 S 5 2 10 



Ik. C'auae. Cib. Been. Oc. Ezanali. 



Turning to the calendar (Table II) and using the Muluc column, 

 we notice that the figures of this third line of black numerals denote 

 respectively the month numbers of the days under them; that is to 



