TRANSACTIONS OF THE MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. Vol. I., and Parts I.
and II. of Vol. II.
*** _Correspondents sending Lists of Books Wanted are requested to send
their names._
*** Letters, stating particulars and lowest price, _carriage free_, to be
sent to MR. BELL, Publisher of "NOTES AND QUERIES," 186. Fleet Street.
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Notices to Correspondents.
_In consequence of our having to publish the present Number on Thursday
instead of Friday, we have been compelled to omit several highly
interesting articles, our_ Notes on Books, _&c._
A. X. _Nineveh is said to have been destroyed by fire, when taken by the
Medes and Babylonians. The date of this is fixed by Clinton, in his_ Fasti
Hell., vol. i. p. 269., _at_ 606 B.C. _Layard_ (Nineveh, vol. ii. p. 161.)
_also adopts this date_.
B. N. C. _The words "à secretis," in the passage quoted, signify that the
party alluded to was a member of the Privy Council._
J. G. B., _who asks if_ Monkey _is not derived from_ Homunculus, _is
referred to Skinner, who derives it from_ Monikin, _or_ Manikin, _i. e._
Homunculus.
H. H. B. (St. Lucia). _The wishes of our Correspondent shall be attended
to._
T. MASSEY (Manchester) _is referred to Richardson's_ Dictionary, _s. v._
with, within, without, _for a solution of his Query_. Nisi Prius _are the
first words on certain legal records, where an issue is appointed to be
tried by a jury from the county,_ unless before _the day appointed (nisi
prius) the judges shall have come to the county in question. The judges of
assize, by virtue of their commission of_ nisi prius, _try the causes thus
appointed_.
E., _who asks the origin of "Mind your P's and Q's," is referred to our_
3rd Vol., pp. 328. 357. 463. 523.
BALLIOLENSIS. _We are flattered by the suggestion of our Correspondent, but
we must leave the agitation which he suggests to abler hands._
PHOTOGRAPHIC NOTES. _In consequence of the number of_ REPLIES TO MINOR
QUERIES _waiting for insertion, we have been compelled to postpone the_
REV. MR. SISSON_'s description of a new_ Head-rest, _and_ SIR W. NEWTON_'s
explanation of his_ Process.
A. S. K. (Worthing) _is informed that it is quite useless to extract the
size from the paper of positive pictures, to ensure their permanence. If
the hyposulphite of soda is entirely freed from them, they will bear any
exposure to atmospheric influence without change. Although in all works on
Photography it is recommended that the size should be extracted from
negatives before waxing them, it is a process we have entirely dispensed
with: if the iron is used sufficiently hot, the wax will perfectly permeate
the entire texture of the paper. Our Correspondent is referred to our back
Numbers for an account of the mode of taking a positive picture on glass
from a glass negative._
R. S. C. (Solihull) _shall receive a private communication on the subject
of the construction of his glass house for Photographic purposes. There are
points in it which are not generally attended to, and upon which the want
of success of many operators has no doubt depended._
TYRO (March 14th). _The second sample of collodion which you have used is_
over-_iodized. It is quite requisite that it should be known that the
sensitive properties of collodion are not increased by adding too much of
the iodizing solution. If the collodion is good, the film is
semi-transparent, of a bluish opal-like appearance. If the iodine is in
excess, it becomes more opaque and creamy after immersion in the bath, and
of a deep orange when looked through; whereas it should appear of a pale
amber colour._
TYRO (March 17th). _The reticulated appearance you complain of is from
using your collodion too thick, and not giving the glass the rotatory
rocking motion which you should do when you drain off the excess into the
bottle. Prepare two pieces of glass with collodion: in one simply drain off
the excess of collodion, and in the other use the motion which has been
before described, and you will perceive the difference in the evenness of
the two films._
H. HENDERSON (Glasgow). _We consider glass baths are much superior to gutta
percha in every respect. Many of the unpleasant markings in collodion
pictures may have their origin in the gutta percha. This is frequently
adulterated, and the nitrate acts upon the extraneous substances which are
added to the gutta percha, either for adulteration, to give it firmness, or
an agreeable colour. A glass bath is readily made, but the minute details
of the mode we cannot enter into. Our Correspondent is referred to our
numerous advertising friends, as the readiest way to supply his present
want in this respect. "Jefferies' Marine Glue" can be procured at all
times, the cost being about sixpence per pound. One part of marine glue,
and two of best red sealing-wax, form a beautiful cement for glass baths.
The marine glue, when used alone, becomes detached from the glass by the
nitrate solution; and, without a substance to temper it, the sealing-wax is
too brittle._
X. (Manchester). _When the blue spots occur of which our Correspondent
complains, it is because there is at the time of operating very feeble
actinic action in the light. If he were to rub one of these pictures when
dry, he would find it almost entirely removable from the glass. The
occasional want of brilliancy in all probability depends on the same cause.
Proto-nitrate of iron, when prepared with the nitrate of baryta of
commerce, instead of pure nitrate of baryta, will often have the same
effect._
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Now ready, in one volume, price 21s.,
SOME ACCOUNT OF DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE IN ENGLAND during the FOURTEENTH
CENTURY, with Notices of Foreign Examples, and NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS of
existing Remains from ORIGINAL DRAWINGS, by the editor of the "Glossary of
Architecture."
Also,
THE TWELFTH and THIRTEENTH CENTURIES, by the late MR. HUDSON TURNER.
Uniform, price 21s.
Oxford & London: JOHN HENRY PARKER.
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