r denoting the shortness of life, which is as grass.
The third sign was a lizard, to show that the life of man, besides being
brief, is destitute, and replete with the ills of nakedness and cold,
and with other miseries. The fourth was a certain very cruel species of
bird which inhabits that country. The fifth sign was a rabbit, because
they say that in this sign their food was created, and accordingly they
believed that it presided over drunken revels. [Xochitl, Malinalli,
Cuetzpalin, Cozcaquauhtli, Tochtli.] They placed five other signs at the
west, which region they called Tetziuatlan. The first was a deer, by
which they indicated the diligence of mankind in seeking the necessaries
of life for their sustenance. The second sign was a shower of rain
falling from the skies, by which they signified pleasure and worldly
content. The third sign was an ape, denoting leisure time. The fourth
was a house, meaning repose and tranquillity. The fifth was an eagle,
the symbol of freedom and dexterity. [Mazatl, Quiahuitl, Ozomatli,
Calli, Quauhtli.] At the north, which they call Teutletlapan, which
signifies the place of the gods, they placed the other five signs which
were wanting to complete the twenty. The first was a tiger, which is a
very ferocious animal, and accordingly they considered the echo of the
voice as a bad omen and the most unlucky of any, because they say that
it has reference to that sign. The second was a skull or death, by which
they signified that death commenced with the first existence of mankind.
The third sign was a razor or stone knife, by which are meant the wars
and dissensions of the world; they call it Tequepatl. The fourth sign is
the head of a cane, which signifies the devil, who takes souls to hell.
The fifth and last of all the twenty signs was a winged head, by which
they represented the wind, indicative of the variety of worldly
affairs." [Ocelotl, Miquiztli, Tecpatl, Itzquintli, Ehecatl.]

According, therefore, to this author the first column was assigned to
the East, the second to the North, the third to the West, and the
fourth to the South. He also says that the counting of the years began
with 1 Cane.[43]

Turning now to Plate 44 of the Fejervary Codex (our Plate III), we
notice that the symbols of the days of the first column are wedged in
between the loops of the upper left-hand corner, and that here we also
find the symbol of the year-bearer, _Acatl_, in the red circle at the
outer ext