318 ANIMAL FIGURES IN THE MAYA CODICES 



out the Mexican manuscripts as the head of a serpent (PI. 8,, 

 figs. 4, 6; PI. 9, fig. 2; PL 10, figs. 2, 4-6). 



Iguana. Of the lizards represented, the iguana (Maya. 

 hu) is the most striking, and is readily identified on account 

 of the prominent spines along the back. As noted by Stem- 

 pell, there are two or three species of large lizards in Central 

 America commonly called iguana, and it is probable that 

 the one here considered is the Ctenosaura acanthura of Yuca- 

 tan or Iguana tuberculata of South and Central America. 



In the manuscripts the iguana is almost exclusively repre- 

 sented as an offering (PI. 12, figs. 1-6). It is usually found 

 on top of the Kan sign, meaning maize or bread,* and this, 

 in turn, resting in a bowl (PI. 12, figs. 3, 4, 6). Landa (1864, 

 p. 230) t gives a pleasing confirmation of this offering of an. 

 iguana with bread. It is possible that the object shown in 

 Tro-Cortesianus 12b (PL 12, fig. 13) may be the convention- 

 alized representation of this lizard. It must be admitted 

 that this interpretation is very doubtful. The triangular 

 points suggest the lizard, but the pointed character of the 

 sign as a whole in no way resembles the back of this reptile. 

 It is found associated with three Kan signs. In Cakchiquel, 

 a dialect of the Maya stock, K'an, according to Guzman 

 and Brinton (1893, p. 24) is the name applied to the female 

 of the iguana or the lizard, and this is believed to be the 

 original sense of the Maya term. It may also be noted that 

 the Nahua day sign Cuetzpalin, meaning lizard, is the one 

 which corresponds with the Maya day Kan. PL 12, figs. 10, 

 12, 14, show representations of the day corresponding to 

 Cuetzpalin in the Aubin and Nuttall codices. These show 

 a stout spineless species with a short thick tail and may be 



* Brinton (1893, p. 25) notes that the equivalent of Kan in the 

 Nahuatl of Miztitlan is xilotl which means ear of corn. This seems to 

 show the correctness of the usual identification of the Kan sign as mean- 

 ing maize or bread (pan). 



t " Y les ofrecian dos pellas de una leche o resina de un arbol que llaman 

 kik, para quemar y ciertas iguanas y pan y una mitra y un manojo de 

 flores y una piedra preciosa de las suyas.' ' 



