ANIMAL FIGURES IN THE MAYA CODICES 309 



and in the stone carvings, but it is quite impossible to refer them 

 definitely to any of the numerous species occurring in Central 

 America, if, indeed, the artists had any one species in mind. In 

 the Tro-Cortesianus frogs are not uncommon. In 31a there are 

 four (PL 7, fig. 1) with water coming from their mouths. They 

 are characterized by their stout tailless bodies, flattened heads 

 and toothless mouths. In lOld (PI. 7, figs. 2, 3) there are two, 

 the first painted blue with spots of darker blue and the second 

 white and represented as broken in two in the middle. The 

 signs of death above the latter clearly show that a dead animal 

 is indicated. PL 7, fig. 6, shows the end of Altar O from Ccpan 

 on which a frog and a fish are pictured, the former in dorsal view, 

 the latter in lateral aspect. The pecuHar pointed snout of 

 this frog is similar to that of the frog shown in PL 7, fig. 7, also 

 in dorsal view. A somewhat similar creature (PL 29, fig. 6) 

 we have included and though it may represent an opossum it 

 has little to distinguish it from the figures of frogs.* 



God B in Tro-Cortesianus 12b should be associated with the 

 frog. His legs are those of a frog and he appears as if swimming 

 in the water. Frog in Maya is Uo which is also the name of the 

 second month of the Maya year. The first day of this month, 

 according to Landa, corresponds to August 5 of our year and 

 this is the height of the rainy season in the Maya region. The 

 sign for Uo does not, however, resemblea frog in any way. The 

 frog above one of the figures in the Lower Chamber of the Temple 

 of the Tigers at Chichen Itza (PL 7, fig. 7) has clearly some rela- 

 tion to the name or totem of the warrior. The Nahua custom 

 is seen here. 



Toads are probably intended in PL 7, figs. 4, 5. In these 

 the great breadth of the head and mouth together with the short 

 inflated body combine to produce a very toad-like appearance. 

 It is not unlikely that they represent the huge marine toad, 

 Bufo marinus, common from southern Mexico to Brazil and in 

 the West Indies. There seems to be no distinction in the treat- 

 ment of frogs and toads in the codices. 



♦Attention is also called to two whistles representing frogs in the Me- 

 moirs of the Peabody Museum, I, No. 4 (Gordon, 1898), PI. 9, figs, i, j. 



