and also on the opposite side
of the manuscript, should be particularly noted.

Below the constellation band, inscribed on a wavy green band (the waters
of space?) are seven repetitions of [Hieroglyph] or the sun glyph
[Hieroglyph] within the shields.[31-*] Between each appeared probably
two black 8's. The sun-shields are about to be seized by different
animals, dragon, tortoise, bird, etc., a seeming evident suggestion of
either an eclipse, or the passage of the sun into some zodiacal sign.
Another series of seven sun-shields, on the green band, separated by
numeral 8's, and attacked by animals and a skeleton, crosses the lower
part of the pages.

Between these two bands we find a series of columns of five day-signs
each preceded by red numerals. Allowing for the space erased I have
restored the last column to the right, and part of the preceding. This
gives 12 columns only, whereas at least 13 are required. There may have
been a 12th column to the left of page 23, where there is just the
proper space for this,[32-*] leaving the dragon's body to curve above
the column so as to pass to page 22. The series may have continued on
across page 25; 13 columns on pages 23, 24, and 7 more filling page 25,
would make a full cycle of 20 columns. And in this connexion it should
be noted that the dragon's body with constellation band goes almost to
the edge of page 24 with no sign of ending or turning, such as might be
expected if the chapter ends here. And if the constellation dragon
continues over page 25, the column series may well have done the same.

Before discussing this series it will be of advantage to review what the
Codex gives us on the question of reading left to right or right to
left.

First, in both the Dresden and Tro.-Cort. the glyph faces look to the
left; and, as shown by the calculations, reading is from left to right,
with a very few possible exceptions, such as the tables on Dres. 24, 64,
69, etc.

In the Perez, as shown by the tonalamatls on 15 to 18, the 52
year-bearers on 19 and 20, and the katun-series on 2 to 12, the general
direction of the reading is also left to right.

Above or below each of the red number columns of these pages 23, 24, is
to be found a blue number. These numbers make a katun-series, starting
with 4, decreasing by 2, if we read it left to right. It is not, to be
sure, accompanied by the customary Ahau-sign, [Hieroglyph], but, taken
in connexion with the marked parallelism of t