ANIMAL FIGURES IN THE MAYA CODICES 337 



rectangular areas at the base of the bill, each with three 

 vertical bars across it. Below the beak, or at either side of 

 the tip, are the feet, each with the claw cross-hatched. 

 What seem to be the reduced and highly conventional- 

 ized wings fill the lower corner of each side of the figure. 



The shield in the center of the Tablet of the Sun at Pa- 

 lenque (PI. 22, fig. 6) shows a face in which the motif seems 

 to be the full-face view of the horned owl. The hooked bill 

 curves over the mouth at each side of which is the curious 

 scroll seen in the same connection in the figures of PI. 21. 

 The ears are somewhat shorter in proportion than usual 

 and below each, at the sides of the face, is a large ear-plug, 

 similar to that elsewhere found. The eyes are still further 

 conventionalized with a decorative scroll surrounding each. 

 Another example of the conventionalized owl's head is on 

 Stela 1 from Cankuan (Maler, 1908, PL 13). We are not 

 yet ready to advance an explanation of the reason why the 

 owl should occupy such a prominent position in the art of 

 the Mayas. 



In only one case is the horned owl found in the Maya 

 manuscripts. In Tro-Cortesianus 95c (PI. 22, fig. 2), this 

 owl appears as the head-dress of a woman in that portion of 

 the codex where baptism and naming are shown. An owPs 

 head seems to be shown on the end of a warrior's staff in the 

 bas-relief of the Lower Chamber of the Temple of the Tigers 

 at Chichen Itza (PL 22, fig. 4). PL 22, figs. 5, 7, show two 

 owls from the Aubin manuscript; the first is considered to 

 be the screech owl (chiqualli) and the second the horned owl 

 (tecolotl, in Nahuatl). [PL 22, figs. 1, 3, show two drawings of 

 owls from Nahua manuscripts. 



Yucatan Screech Owl or Moan Bird (Otus choliba 

 thompsoni). A second species of owl is represented by the 

 figures on PL 23. This has likewise two feathered tufts or 

 "ears" on its head and is always shown with the head, at 

 least, in profile, but the tufts one in front, the other at the 

 back of the head. The facial disc is not very prominent 

 the beak rather long, the tail short, and the plumage some- 

 IV. 22 



