e following incident. Several years since, an operator
(Mr. Senter, of Auburn, N.Y.) of my acquaintance, was requested to go
several miles to take a Daguerreotype portrait of a deceased person.
He packed up his apparatus and proceeded over a rough road for some
distance to the house where he was to take the portrait, and arranging
his apparatus, with all the expedition which the occasion required,
after having everything in usual order (as was supposed), he proceeded
and took some ten or twelve very superior impressions. They were fine,
clear, and well developed. After taking the number ordered, he
proceeded to repack his apparatus, and to his surprise, when he took up
the bottle he carried the mercury in, he found it still filled, and
none in the bath, except only such particles as had adhered to the
sides, after dusting and being jolted for several miles over the rough
road. From this it will be seen that a very little mercury will
suffice to develop fine proofs. I saw some of the impressions referred
to above, and they were certainly well developed, and very superior
specimens of our art.

Removing the Coating.--After the impression has been developed over the
mercurial vapor, the next step is to remove the sensitive coating. For
this purpose the following solution is used:

Put about two ounces of hyposulphite of soda in a pint of water, which
should always be filtered before using. A convenient way of doing this
is to have two bottles, and a large funnel with a sponge pressed into
the neck of it; or, what is better, some filtering paper folded in it.
The solution in one bottle, the funnel is placed in the other, and the
picture held over it; when the solution is poured on the plate, it runs
from it into the filter, and is always ready for use.

It is best that the washing be done immediately on the plate coming
from the mercury bath. If allowed to stand long with the coating on,
it assumes a very dark tint--as the operation of the light continues,
though less active than while exposed in the camera, and destroys that
brightness which would otherwise have been obtained. It is preferable
to wash and gild a picture without it first being dried; yet when there
are doubts of its giving satisfaction, there would sometimes be a
saving by drying and getting the decision of the subject before
gilding, as this last injures the plate for another impression. First,
light your spirit-lamp, then with your plyers take