exican wind and rain gods occupy a large mansion in the
heavens, which is divided into four apartments, with a court in the
middle. In this court stand four enormous vases of water, and an
infinite number of very small slaves (the rain drops) stand ready to dip
out the water from one or the other of these vases and pour it on the
earth in showers.[216-1] As the lowest character in the group mentioned
is the _ik_ symbol, its appropriate rendering here is beyond question
"wind;" therefore, as two out of the three characters, and the rain sign
below, indicate the rain storm, we may take for granted that the middle
character probably refers to lightning or thunder.

Additional reasons for this interpretation are given in a previous
paper[216-2] and need not be repeated here, as the only object now in
view in referring to them is to show that the _ik_ symbol is there used
to denote wind.

In the third and fourth divisions of plate 16* Codex Troano, five
persons are represented, each holding in his hand an _ik_ symbol from
which arises what appear to be the sprouting leaves of a plant, probably
maize (plate LXIV, 30, 31). This is interpreted by Dr Seler as the heart
just taken from the sacrificed victim, the leaf-shape figures
representing the vapor rising from the warm blood and flesh. It is
unnecessary to give here his reasons for this belief, as the suggestion
presented below, although wholly different, gives to the symbol in this
place substantially the same meaning that he assigns to it, to wit,
life, vitality. It is probable that the figure is intended to represent
the germination of a plant--the springing forth of the blade from the
seed--and that the _ik_ symbol indicates plant life, or rather the
spirit which the natives believe dwells in plants and causes them to
grow. Seler's suggestion that in this connection _ik_ may be compared to
_kan_ is appropriate, but this comparison does not tend to the support
of his theory. Take, for example, the sprouting _kan_ symbols on Tro.
29b, to which he refers. There can be no doubt that the symbol
represents the grain of maize from which the sprouting leaves are rising
(plate LXIV, 32). In one place a bird is pulling it up; at another place
a small quadruped is attacking it; at another the Tlaloc is planting (or
perhaps replanting) the seed.

In the lowest division of the same plate (Tro. 29) are four individuals,
three of whom, as may be seen by studying the similar figures i