37 
of the sacrificer is covered with one of those 
pointed caps, which are worn in China, and on 
the north west coast of America. Opposite this 
figure is seated the god of fire, Xiuhteuctli Tletl, 
at whose feet is a sacred vase. In the first year 
of the Mexican cycle, Tletl is the sign of night 
for the day on which the vernal equinox fails. 
The lower compartment (Plate 27, No. 2) re- 
presents the god Tonacateuctli^ holding in his 
right hand a knife, some leaves of agave, and a 
bag of incense. We are entirely ignorant what 
is meant by the two children holding each other 
by the hand, and of whom a commentator has 
observed, that they seem to speak the same 
language.” The serpent placed below the tem- 
ple might lead us to suspect, that they are the 
twin children of Cihuacohuatl^ the celebrated 
serpent immayi, the Eve of the Aztecks. But the 
small figures of the Codex Borgianus^ fol. 61, " 
are females, as is evidently indicated by the dis- 
position of their hain; while those represented in 
the manuscript of the Vatican * are males. 
* See Plate 23 of this Atlas. 
I 
