only done when he gave an important and weighty command which was to be carried out at once.” Unfortunately nothing more is known of this interesting bracelet. The most distinguishing sign of royalty was a diadem of turquoise mosaic, rising to a peak in the front, rather after the fashion of a mitre. This was known as the xiuhuitzolli, and a plainer pattern was worn by the highest rank of judges. [Illustration: FIG. 17.--A. The Tlacochcalcatl in festival dress.] B. Warrior with insignia denoting that he has taken five prisoners. (_Mendoza MS., Oxford_)] At the time of the conquest there were several independent states in the neighbourhood of Mexico, of which the most important were Michoacan, Quauhtitlan, Tlaxcala, Uexotzinco, Cholula and Meztitlan; the sovereigns of which held positions very similar to those of Mexico, though their courts were of course considerably less magnificent. The two other states of the Mexican confederacy, Tezcoco and Tlacopan, were similarly administered, and the court of the former was only less brilliant than that of Tenochtitlan. The Tlaxcalan state is often erroneously mentioned as a republic, but it was in fact a confederation of four cities, built, as the population expanded, in the following order: Tepeticpac, Ocotelolco, Tizatlan and Quiauitztlan. Coyoacan, Xochimilco and Chalco were always more or less in a state of revolt against Mexican authority, and must be regarded as quasi-independent; at any rate they possessed rulers of their own. When the Mexican throne fell vacant, the nobles and principal officials of the kingdom appointed four electors, usually of royal blood, to select the sovereign from the members of the ruling family. As stated before, in normal cases the choice fell upon a brother of the late king, or on a nephew belonging to an elder branch. The kings of Tezcoco and Tlacopan also acted as electors, but probably only in name.