MORGAN. ] SMALLEST SUBDIVISIONS. S/3) 
(elder brother).! This office was for life or during good behavior.* It was 
one of his duties to keep a reckoning of the soil of the calpulli, or ‘ calpu- 
lalli,’ together with a record of its members, and of the areas assigned to 
each family, and to note also whatever changes occurred in their distribu- 
tion.? Such changes, if unimportant, might be made by him; more impor- 
tant ones, or coutested cases, had to be referred to the council of the kin- 
ship, which in turn. often appealed to a gathering of the entire quarter.* 
“The ‘calpulalli’ was divided into lots or arable beds, ‘tlalmilli.’® 
These were assigned each to one of the married males of the kinship, to be 
worked by him for his use and that of his family. IH one of these lots 
remained unimproved for the term of two consecutive years, it fell back to 
the quarter for redistribution. The same occurred if the family enjoying 
its possession removed from the calpulli. But it does not appear that the 
cultivation had always to be performed by the holders of the tract them- 
selves. The fact of improvement under the ame of a certain tenant was 
only required to insure this tenant's rights.° 
1 Zurita (p. 60): The calpulli have a chief taken necessarily from among the tribe; he must be 
one of the principal inhabitants, an able mau who can assist and defend the people. The election takes 
place among them. * * * The office of this chief is not hereditary ; when any one dies, they elect in 
his place the most respected old man, * * * Ifthe deceased has left a son who is able the choice 
falls upon him, and a relative of the former incumbent is always preferred” (Id., pp. 50 and 222). 
Simancas M. S. 8. (‘‘ De Vordre de succession,” ete. ; “Recueil,” p. 225): As to the mode of regulating 
the jurisdiction and‘eclection of the alcaldes and regidors of the villages, they nominated men of note 
who had the title of acheacaulitin. * * * There were no otherelections of officers.” * * * © Art 
of War,” etc. (pp. 119 and 120). 
2 Zurita (pp. 60 and 61). Herrera (Dec. II, Lib. IV, cap. XV, cap. 125): ‘Tle elegian entre si y 
tenlan por maior.” 
‘Zurita (pp. 6L and 62): ‘This chief has charge of the lands of the ecalpulli. It is his duty to 
defend their possession. He keeps paintings showing the tracts, the names of their holders, the situa- 
tion, the limits, the number of men tilling them, the wealth of private individuals, the designations of 
such as are vacant, of others that belong to the Spaniards, the date of donation, to whom and by whom 
they were given. These paintings he constantly renews, according to the changes occurring, and in 
thisthey are very skillful.” It is singalar that Motolinia, in his ‘‘ Epistola proémial” (‘‘Col. de Does 
Ieazbaleeta, Vol. I, p. 5), among the five ‘ books of paintings” which he says the Mexicans had, makes 
no mention of the above. Ncither does he notice it in his letter dated Cholula, 27 Aug., 1554 (‘‘ Recueil 
de piéces,” ete., Ternaux-Compans). 
4Zurita ‘ Rapport,” etc., pp. 56 and 62). We quote him in preference, since no other author 
known to us has been so detailed. 
5'Tlalmilli” “tierras, 4 heredades de particulares, que estan juntas en alguna vega” (Molina, 
Part Ila, p. 124). 
6 Each family, represented by its male head, obtained a certain tract or lot for cultivation and 
use, Zurita (p. 55). ‘* The party (member of the calpulli, because no member of another one had the 
right to settle within the area cf it—see Id., p. 53), who has no Jands applies to the chief of the eal- 
pulli, who, upon the advice of the other old men, assigns to him such as corresponds to his ability and 
wants. These lands go to his heirs.” * * * Id.,p. 56). “The proprietor who did not cultivate 
during two years, either through his own fault or through negligence, without just cause, PE ks ll te) 
