,^i^^l,] THE MAYA YEAR. 13 



It is cleiiily to be uuderstood that knowledge of the caleudaric system 

 of tlie Mayas is derived ehietiy from the Spanish and modern Maya 

 chronicles rather than from the codices. Hitherto it lias not been 

 known that the year of the codices included o65 days; and it is Dr. 

 Thomas' ])arpose in the i)reseut publication to demonstrate that, proj)- 

 erly interpreted, the Dresden codex comprises records of 305 day years. 

 In thus liarmonizing the autographic chronicles of the ancient Mayas 

 with the sometimes ambiguous chronicles of the Spaniards and modern 

 Mayas, Dr. Thomas not only makes a useful addition to our knowledge 

 of a highly interesting people but corroborates .strongly the authen- 

 ticity of the codices and the accuracy of both series of chronicles. 



