reast, plunging downward through the open jaws of the monster into
the shades or earth below. On plate 76 of the same codex, the extended
jaws open upward, and into them a number of persons are marching in
regular order. These apparently represent the thirteen months of the
sacred year. One has passed on and disappeared from view, and the other
twelve are following with bowed heads. It would seem from these to be
not only symbolic of the earth or hades, but also to have some relation
to time.

For positive proof that it is sometimes used to denote the earth, or
that from which vegetation comes, it is only necessary to refer to the
lower right-hand figure of plate 12, Borgian Codex. Here is Tlaloc
sending down rain upon the earth, from which the enlivened plants are
springing forth and expanding into leaf and blossom. The earth, on which
they stand and from which they arise, is represented by the figure of
the mythical _Cipactli_.

It is quite probable that the monster on plates 4 and 5 of the Dresden
Codex, which appears to be of the same genus, is a time symbol, and also
that on plate 74 of the same codex. It is therefore more than likely
that the animal indicated by the Mexican name of the day is mythical,
represented according to locality by some known animal which seems to
indicate best the mythical conception. Some figures evidently refer to
the alligator, and others apparently to the iguana; that on plates 4 and
5 of the Dresden Codex is purely mythical, but contains reptilian
characteristics.

Dr Brinton, probably influenced to some extent by the apparent
signification of the Nahuatl name and symbol, explains the other names
as follows:

This leads me to identify it [the Maya name] with, the Maya _mex_
or _meex_, which is the name of a fish (the "pez arana," "un
pescado que tiene muchos brazos"), probably so called from another
meaning of _mex_, "the beard." ... This identification brings this
day name into direct relation to the Zapotec and Nahuatl names. In
the former, _chiylla_, sometimes given as _pi-chilla_, is
apparently from _bi-chilla-beo_, water lizard, and Nahuatl
_cipactli_ certainly means some fish or fish-like animal--a
swordfish, alligator, or the like, though exactly which is not
certain, and probably the reference with them was altogether
mythical.

Dr Seler, in his subsequent paper, gives the following explanation of
the Zapotec name _