t the name means both in Maya and in
Nahuatl, the "feathered serpent" or the "bird serpent." Other
authorities consider god B as _Itzamna_, another of the main gods of the
Mayas. Seler interprets god B as the counterpart of the Nahua rain god,
_Tlaloc_. It is certain that when god B and the serpent are associated
together water and rain are usually indicated. God H, "the _Chicchan_
god," also has some relation to the serpent. As pointed out by Schellhas
(1904, pp. 28-30), this god often appears characterized by a skin-spot
or a scale of the serpent on his temple of the same shape as the
hieroglyph of the day _Chicchan_ (serpent). The glyph belonging to this
deity also shows the _Chicchan_ sign as its distinguishing mark. Similar
signs appear on the body of the serpent in many places, as in
Tro-Cortesianus 30a (Pl. 11, fig. 1).

We have already noted that the serpent, god B, and water are frequently
shown together, so the serpent also appears associated with water and
rain, when no figure of god B is present. From this connection, it can
be argued that there is some relation between the serpent and the coming
of the rains. These facts would give strength to the theory that god B
is to be identified as a rain god. In Dresden 33a, 35a, god B is seated
on the open jaws of a serpent, while the body of the reptile encloses a
blue field evidently signifying water. The number nineteen appears on
this blue color. It will be noted that there are nineteen spots on the
serpents in Pl. 11, figs. 1, 2. In Tro-Cortesianus 3a-6a, corresponding
scenes seem to be shown. The body of the serpent encloses water, and
here the number eighteen appears in each case. God B occurs always in
front of the serpent and his head appears as the head of the reptile in
the first instance. In Dresden 35a, 36a, the head of god B is pictured
as the head of the serpent in the midst of the water. In Dresden 37b
(Pl. 10, fig. 8), B is holding a snake in the water.

Water appears in connection with the serpent and god B in many places in
the Tro-Cortesianus. In 9, god B is pictured pouring water from a jar, a
common method of showing the idea of rain in the codices. In 12b, B
again is shown perhaps representing a frog, and behind him a serpent.
The reptiles in 13b-18b, are all associated with the idea of rain, the
turtle and frog also appearing in this section. In 30a (Pl. 11, fig. 1),
god B and a female figure are both pouring water from a jar, as they
stand