422 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY Lhim- :i« 



At the first glance we see that they have ahnost the same magni- 

 tude as the eight numbers in the four preceding serpents. The bkick 

 number is somewhat less than any of the eight numbers, the red some- 

 what larger than the smallest among them. 



The difference between them is 9,742=37X260-1-122; and 122 is 

 exactly the difference between the day IV 9 and the day IX 11, which 

 in itself proves the connection of these numbers with the series pre- 

 viously considered. But we found before exactly the same difference 

 between the two encircled numbers, 111,554 and 101,812, to Avhich, 

 therefore, the numbers in the serpent must like^^'ise be closely related. 



Above, at the conclusion of my discussion of the series, I mentioned 

 the figures 1, 0, 12, and 3 at the end of the series on page 70, which 

 would amount to 7,443, and could not, therefore, be explained. But 

 they are close to the numbers 111,554 and 101,812 just mentioned. 

 The inference seems natural, therefore, that they may be the differ- 

 ence between these latter numbers, which is our 9,742. In that case 

 we should be obliged to substitute 1, 7, 1, 2, in the place of the above- 

 named figures, and that would be too great an alteration. Who can 

 make a better suggestion? The 0, standing below the number, is 

 almost entirely obliterated, and surely was only an error on the part 

 of the writer, and is therefore not to be regarded. 



The starting point of the numbers in the serpent, moreover, is of 

 special interest. We see the same date, IX 1 ; 12, 17th month, as in 

 the serpents of the previous section, and here we stand on safe ground. 



Now, if we compute the black number from this point, after 652 

 katuns, 18 years and 198 days, we arrive at the date IV 9; 5, 9th 

 month (10 Muluc), and on page 69, under the serpent, we actually 

 find it. In the same way, for the red numbers we have 652 katuns, 

 45 years and 85 days^XI 11; 12, 3d month (11 Kan), Avhich again 

 finds triumphant confirmation in the manuscript. 



If the numbers in the serpent were to be computed from the pre- 

 ceding regular date, IV 17 ; 8, 18th month, and not from IX 1 ; 12, 

 17th month, it would then be necessary to add 2,904 days to each. 

 Then Ave should obtain for the true day IV 9 the number 12,384,632 

 and for the true day IX 11 the number 12,394,374. 



I think I have shown in this j^aper the inner connection between 

 these two sections. The interpretation of the rest of the hieroglyphs 

 must be achieved before a perfect comj)rehension can be reached ; 

 but this, I think, can not be far distant with regard to these two sec- 

 tions. My present communication, I think, has supplemented and 

 brought to a certain degree of completeness my investigations regard- 

 ing the mathematical aspects of the Dresden codex. Mathematics, 

 has rightly been called petrified music. We hear the music in this 

 case from so great a distance that, though we perceive the full har- 

 monic chords, we do not recognize the connecting and animating 

 melody. 



