SIGNIFICATION OF THE CHARACTERS. 



357 



m 



Kiich. A vulture or bird of prey mucli like the sopilote. These 

 two symbols (a and b) appear to refer to the same bird, evi- 

 dently a vulture. (See Manuscript Troano, Plates XVII a and 

 XXVI* «.) The tirst form (a) is found but once (Manuscript 

 Troano, Plate XVII a), the other at several points, both in the 

 Manuscript Troano and the Dresden Codex, and is represented 

 by m in the preceding diagi-am. 

 If this determination be correct, the first of the.se 



symbols («) is probably phonetic and agrees with the interpretation 



of No. 2G. 



rjjTvj Cfiom, Xcliom, or Hcflom. The sopilote or vulture. Found only in 

 ' Plates 16 and 17, Dresden Codex. The bird figure in Plate 17 ap- 

 pears to be intended to represent a vulture. The symbol corresponds 

 No. 38. to i in the preceding diagram. 



If phonetic, the word indicated should, according to Landa's alpha- 

 bet, be aspirated, which is found to be true of one of the forms given 

 by Perez. 



In certain series of the Dresden Codex, which appear to relate to 

 the four year series or to the f<iiir seasons. rs]MM-ially tliusc on Plates 

 30-31, a certain class of food animals seems to lie assi-ned to each. 

 The iouv following symbols are tlmse used to ('Xi)ress tliis idea : 



Cehf The symbol for game quadrupeds. The same idea appears to be 

 indicated by the folded and tied quarter of a deer, as shown in No. 

 11. The head shovra in the symbol is probably intended for that 

 of the deer, though more like that of the rabbit. 



Ciitz or Cax. The symbol for game bu-ds, the head being probably that 

 of the wild turkey (Cwfe or Ahcutz). 



Huh. The symbol for food reptiles or the iguana. 



As tJie Kan figure is admitted to be a maize or bread sym- 

 bol , it is readily seen that the object in view in connecting 

 \u :ii. it with the animal figures is to indicate that they are iised 

 for food, and hence are proper offerings to the gods, which is equiva- 

 lent to saying, to the priests. 



Cay. The symbol for food fishes, or fishes in general, though as often 

 on the Kan symbol or without any suffix. 



No. 33. 



I<^^^ ^''ifz or Cax. In one'of the two series of these food symbols, in Plates 29-31 

 ^SJ^ of the Dresden Codex, in place of the bird symbol No. 30 is that shown 

 ^^^^ in symbol No. 33. It probably has, as RosnyMi|i]«isi ^. tlie same signifi- 

 N0..S3. cation, a supposition which is strengthened In lln' l.i. l l hut it is found 



in the bird series on Plates 16c and 17c, same codex, ami is n |in s. nUd by o in tlie 

 preceding diagr.ain. 



