THOMAS] THE SECOND DAY 219 
It was probably this notion and the fact that the little four-corner 
tk (7) symbol is sometimes seen in the flame, which caused this authority 
to believe the symbol denotes “fire,” “flame.” In the manuscript 
Zapotec vocabulary by E. A. Fuller, wind” is bii. 
Dr Brinton thinks that ni is the radical of nici, to grow, increase, 
gain life. He says: 
Laa, or laala, is a word of many meanings, as warmth, heat, reason, or intelli- 
gence. The sense common to all these expressions seems to be that of life, vitality. 
The form of the Mexican symbol for the day Hhecatl (wind), shown in 
plate LxIv, 34, and also of the mouths of the female figures on plates 26 
and 28, Troano Codex, which are emblematic of the storm, appear to 
be taken from the bird bill. The bird, as is well known, is a wind 
symbol with many peoples. It has been so esteemed among several 
tribes of American Indians, and also by peoples of the Old World. 
As nit or ni signifies ‘nose, beak, point” in Maya and several cognate 
dialects, is it not possible that in this is to be found an explanation of 
the second Zapotec name? In this case, however, we must assume 
that the term is borrowed, as in this language wi or vie is the term for 
“nose.” I notice, however, that the name for bird is given as viguini 
and piguiini. If pi (vi) is a prefix, as seems probable from the word 
for “hen,” guitii, then we have some ground for believing that the 
first Zapotec name has the same fundamental idea as the Mexican 
symbol. 
It therefore would seem that it is not difficult to understand the 
origin of the Mexican symbol. Examining plate 10, Borgian Codex, 
which appears to represent the home of the winds, we see that, though 
mostly furnished with human bodies, they have bird claws as well as 
bills. But the origin of the Maya symbol 1s more difficult to account 
for. Dr Seler remarks 

It is difficult to determine the original idea of this character. Figure 210 [our 
plate Lxrv, 24] and the forms on the reliefs—if we have correctly interpreted these— 
lead us to think that the wind cross, or the figure of the Tau resulting from it, was 
the origin of the character. However, the forms of the Cod. Tro. are not easily 
reconciled with this. 
Dr Brinton! asserts, without heeding Dr Seler’s caution, that it is the 
sign of the four directions or four winds—the wind cross—evidently 
alluding to the sharp-corner square seen in our plate Lxvi, 28. But 
he seems to have overlooked the fact that it is never thus represented 
in the daysymbol. Moreover, no satisfactory proof has been presented 
showing that this form has this signification. Seler gives it in some 
places, as above stated, the signification ‘‘ fire,” ‘“flame;” and if his 
interpretation of plate Lxv1, 29 by WKinich-kakmo be correct, as Brinton 
seems to think itis, his interpretations are consistent. However, Seler’s 
assertion that ‘‘the forms of the Cod. Tro. are not easily reconciled with 
this” must be admitted. In the codices this glyph, as this author 
. 

' Primer of Mayan Hieroglyphics, p. 115. 
