wer part of the
figure on plate 76, heretofore alluded to, although having reference to
the underworld, appears to be in part a delineation of night. The large
black figure probably represents night, the smaller star-like figures
denoting stars, and the large one the night sun, or moon. The house in
the lower right-hand corner, with the black lining, is the house of
darkness. The wind symbol above the roof indicates relationship with the
winds. Dr Seler interprets these star-like figures as sun symbols, but
the number found together on this plate forbids the supposition that
they represent suns. Moreover, the association with the dark figure
renders it probable that they are here used to denote stars.

There is, however, a lack in these explanations of a connecting link,
which seems necessary to render them entirely satisfactory. The name
appears to be intimately associated with that for serpent; or perhaps it
would be more correct to say that this mythological personage appears to
be intimately connected in some way with the serpent. The title of the
Tzental manuscript containing the myth was, according to Cabrera, "Proof
that I am a Chan," which signifies "serpent." His chief city was
_Nachan_, "the house of the serpent;" his treasure house was a cavern.
Simply designating him by "the heart of the nation," "heart of the
village," does not appear to furnish a full explanation of his
attributes or characteristics.

As the symbol of this day is frequently connected with cloud and
rain-storm series, as in Tro. 25a, where it appears to be that from
which rain is falling, its signification in these places would appear to
be "cloud," which carries with it the idea of shade, shadow, and
darkness. This being true, the most likely supposition in regard to the
origin of the symbol is, that it was designed to represent the cloud
breaking into drops and falling as rain--in other words, the weeping
cloud. Such appears beyond question to be its signification in Tro. 25a
and in other places in the same and other codices. This supposition is
also consistent with the fact that some of the symbols, especially those
of the inscriptions (plate LXIV, 42), have dots along the broken line,
which may indicate the raindrops into which the cloud is breaking. I am
therefore not inclined to accept Dr Seler's supposition that it is
intended to represent the opening to a cavern, after the conventional
method adopted by the Mexican artists. It is i