e finished picture. I have
never any markings in my glass positives now, but what may be traced
with certainty to some unevenness in the film or dirtiness on the glass.
And I hope that the number of beginners who are using gutta percha
baths, and who are troubled with these unpleasant markings (as all
beginners are, whether they use glass or gutta percha), will not,
without some very careful experiments, lay the fault upon the gutta
percha. In the Number for April 2, the Editor thanks me for what he is
pleased to call "the very beautiful specimen of _my skill_." This was a
small glass positive, which I sent him in accordance with an offer of
mine in a former note. Now, _that_ was rendered sensitive in a gutta
percha bath, which I have had in use for months; and I think I may
appeal to the Editor as to the absence of all unpleasant markings in it.
Probably it may be a good plan for those who make the baths for
themselves to adopt the following simple method of cleaning them at
first. Fill the bath with water, changing it every day for a week or so.
Then wash it with strong nitric acid, and wash once or twice afterwards.
Always keep the nitrate of silver solution in the bath, with a cover
over it. Never filter, unless there is a great deal of extraneous matter
at the bottom. If glass baths are used, cemented together with
sealing-wax, &c., I imagine they might be as objectionable as gutta
percha. The number of inquiries for a diagram of my head-rest, &c., from
all parts of the kingdom--Glasgow, Paisley, Manchester, Leicester,
Leeds, Newcastle, Durham, &c. &c.--proves the very large number of
photographic subscribers "N. & Q." possesses. I think, therefore, it
cannot but prove useful to discuss in its pages the question of the
advantage or disadvantage of gutta percha.

J. L. SISSON.

Edingthorpe Rectory, North Walsham.

* * * * *

REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES.

_Pilgrimages to the Holy Land_ (Vol. v., p. 289.).--I beg to inform W.
M. R. E. (Vol. vii., p. 341.) that, though I have never met with a
printed copy of the "Itinerary to the Holy Land" of _Gabriele
Capodilista_ (the Perugia edition of 1472, mentioned by Brunet, being
undoubtedly a book of very great rarity, and perhaps the only one ever
printed), I have in my possession a very beautiful manuscript of the
work on vellum, which appears to have been presented by the author to
the nuns of St. Bernardino of Padua. It is a small fol