Mexico, and Peru. The kouas, and especially 
the ho-tous, are perhaps only a linear imitation* 
of the quippus ; for the first of the eight tri- 
grammata contains also unbroken lines, like the 
hieroglyphics of the Dresden manuscript. We 
shall not decide, whether these, in which points 
are often intermixed with parallel lines, express 
numeric quantities, a list of tributes for instance ; 
or whether they be real cursive characters; 
* Palin de I’Etude des Hieroglyplies, 1812, tom. i, page 
38, 107, 114, 120 ; tom. v, page 19, 31, and 112 : Souciet 
and Gaubil, Observ. Astron. tom. ii, page 88 and 187 j tom. 
iii, page 4, fig, 7. 
