ANIMAL FIGURES IN THE MAYA CODICES 347 



MAMMALIA 



Opossum (Didelphis yucatanensis, D. mesamericana) , 

 l^igures representing opossums are not with certainty iden- 

 tifiable in the Maya writings. We have provisionally iden- 

 tified as a frog the animal shown in PL 29, fig. 6, although 

 at first sight the two median round markings might be taken 

 to represent a marsupial pouch. Stempell considers the 

 animals found in the upper division of Dresden 25-28 as 

 ■opossums of one of the above species, and this seems very 

 possible. They are shown with long tails, slightly curved 

 at the tips, and with long head and prominent vibrissae. A 

 rather similar figure is found in the Nuttall Codex (PL 34, 

 fig. 7). There is nothing, however, that seems to preclude 

 their being dogs and, in our opinion, they represent this 

 animal. 



NiNE-BANDED ARMADILLO (Tatu novemciuctum) . This is 

 the common species of armadillo (Maya, wets) found through- 

 out the warmer portion of Mexico and Central America; 

 where it is frequently used as an article of food, and its shell- 

 like covering is utilized in various ways. Several repre- 

 sentations of it occur in the Tro-Cortesianus (PL 29, figs. 1-4), 

 where it is characterized by its scaly covering, long ears and 

 tail, and the moveable bands about the body. 



This animal is associated with the bee culture, as it is 

 represented twice in Tro-Cortesianus 103a (PL 29, figs. 1, 3) 

 seated below a bee under an overhanging roof. The hunting 

 scenes in the Tro-Cortesianus also show the armadillo; in 

 48a (PL 29, fig. 4) and in 91a it is shown in a pit-fall. In 

 the last case the Cauac signs are clearly seen on top of the 

 trap, whereas in the former case the same signs seem to be 

 indicated by the crosses. Finally, this same animal occurs 

 seated in Tro-Cortesianus 92d (PL 29, fig. 2) facing a female 

 figure. There seems to be no glyph used in connection with 

 this animal. 



Yucatan Brocket (Mazama pandora). Among the 

 numerous representations of deer in the Maya writings, there 



