ite parts to a brilliant yellow,
quite impervious to actinic rays. This process is only applicable to weak
negative or instantaneous pictures, as, if used on a picture of much
intensity, the opacity produced is too great. By using, however, instead of
the iodide of potassium, a weak solution of ammonia, as recommended by Mr.
Hunt, a less degree of intensity may be produced again a less intensity by
hyposulphate of soda and a less degree again, but still a slight darkening,
by pouring on the bichloride and pouring it off at once before the
whitening commences. I thus can tell the exact degree of negative effect in
any picture of whatever intensity. The terchloride of gold is most
uncertain in its results, at any rate I find it so.

I must again beg you to excuse the great length of my communication, and
hope it will be of service to my fellow photographers.

F. MAXWELL LYTE.

Florian, Torquay.

* * * * *

Replies to Minor Queries.

_Derivation of the Word "Island_" (Vol. viii., p. 49.).--I have received
through the kindness of Hensleigh Wedgwood, Esq., a copy of the
_Philological Journal_ for Feb. 21, 1851, in which my late observations on
the etymology of the word _island_ are shown to be almost identical with
his own, published more than two years ago, even the minutest particulars.
His own surprise on seeing my remarks must have been at least as great as
my own, on learning how singularly I had been anticipated; and those of
your readers who will refer to the number of the journal in question, will
be doubtless as much surprised as either of us.

This coincidence suggests two things: first, the truth of the etymology in
question, secondly, the excellency of that spirit which (as in this
instance) "thinketh no evil;" and, in so close a resemblance of ideas as
that before us, rather than at once start a charge of plagiarism, will
believe that it is possible for two persons, with similar habits of
thought, to arrive at the same end, and that, too, by singularly identical
means, when engaged on one and the same subject.

H. C. K.

---- Rectory, Hereford.

"_Paetus and Arria_" (Vol. viii., p. 219.).--As I have not observed a reply
to the Query respecting the author of _Paetus and Arria_, a tragedy, I beg
to state that the work was not written by a gentleman of the University of
Cambridge, but by Mr. Nicholson, son of Mr. Nicholson, a well-known and
highly respectable bookseller