35 



at the beginning of each row, the last sign of the 

 preceding row. Mr. Zoega has observed the 

 same peculiarity in the Egyptian hieroglyphics ; 

 and it is from observations of this kind, that he 

 has judged whether hieroglyphics were read from 

 right to left, or from left to right. We find in 

 the Codex Borgianus the sign of motion, the 

 print of a foot, sometimes added to the sign of a 

 day : I am ignorant of the cause of this singular 

 assemblage. 



Of the four rows of the hieroglyphics of the 

 day (Plate 27, No. 1), the first, which according 

 to the system of the Mexican writing is the 

 lowest row, exhibits, from right to left, cipactli, 

 ehecatl, calli,cuetzpalin, and cohudt 1; the second, 

 ?niquiztli, mazatl, tochtli, at I, and itzcuintli ; the 

 third> ozomatli, malinalli, acatl, ocelotl, quauhtli, 

 and cozcaquauhtli ; the fourth, or the uppermost 

 row, ollin, tecpatl, quiahuitl, and xochitl. We 

 have already given * the significations of these 

 hieroglyphics. On comparing the figures of the 

 27th plate with those published by Valades, Ge- 

 melli, Clavigero, and Cardinal Lorenzana, we see 

 how inaccurate are the notions^ which have been 

 hitherto given respecting the signs of the Mexi- 

 can calendar. 



The painting, which represents a figure appear- 

 ing to have four hands (Plate 27, No. 2), is taken 



* VoJ. xiii, p. 296, 313, 337~<54. 

 D 2 



