TiioMAB] FIGURES RELATING TO THE CHASE, ELATES VIU-XIX. 97 



The black numerals not obliterated are as follows, and in the following 

 order: 11, 10, 9. Is it not possible that these signify Ahaiies? The head- 

 dresses on three are similar to that seen so often throughout 

 the work on the head of Tlaloc, and which, I presume, 

 signifies the tying of the years. I merely suggest this as a 

 possible explanation, although the order of the numerals 



Fig. 11. is not the usual one. 



Plates VIII to XIX appear, from the figures, to relate to the chase. 

 VIII-XIII are devoted almost wholly to figures of animals (mostly deer) 

 caught in snares. It appears from these figures that the method of snaring 

 animals was to fasten a cord to the top of a slender tree, bend it down, and 

 fasten a slip-knot around a spring or trigger, so that when touched by the 

 fore foot of the animal it would slip up and tighten, and thus hold up the 

 fore part of the body. There can be no doubt that the elongate white 

 stems to which the cords are tied represent trees or wood. If the nodes 

 marked upon them were not sufficient to show this, a study of the similar 

 figures throughout the work would satisfy any one on this point. 



The curved figure at the foot of the deer in the second division of 

 Plate VIII probably represents a kind of spring or trigger around which 

 the slip-knot is fastened in such a manner that when touched above by 

 the foot of the animal it closes or bends together, so that the knot slips 

 off" it and on to the leg.^ I am aware that this interpretation is widely 

 different from the profound explanation given by Brasseur, still I think it is 

 as near the correct one. 



The animal represented in the upper division of Plate IX is an Arma- 

 dillo. It is evidently in a pit, into which it has fallen through the trap 

 arranged for this purpose. We see no cord here, as none was needed. 



The pit appears to have been lined around the sides with upright 

 pieces of wood, to prevent the earth from falling in; then two layers aroimd 

 the top of these, and finally covered with a layer of sticks or small beams, 

 through which a hole was made in the middle, and then pieces laid loosely 

 on this, so that the ends met over the middle of the opening. The animal 



' Herrera (Dec. iii, Bk. vi, cLap. 3) says they killed their game with gius aud snares. The Geu- 

 tlemaii of Elvas speaks of a method of catching conies with snares similar to that figured in the Manu- 

 script (Hackluyt Transl. ii, 183). 

 7 M T 



