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an instant I laid hold of the camera (a very heavy one) by the handle and ran into his den, and just got through the wide wooden bars when he came with a rush. I got through safely with the camera, after doing about the fastest on record. It knocked all the wind and zoology clean out of me for a time. This was one of many scenes. It was impossible, with the limited means at my command (I mean, as compared with the present time) to get rid of the bars in all cases ; still, when I could do so I did, even at great risk. Then and now are two different things, and I am sure there ought to be no trouble whatever in securing every pose and position. The many hours required or wasted by Mr. Bolton in securing the lion I cannot understand. Some people make much of their excep tional studies, the time and money it has cost them, &c. What is necessary is to recognise in an instant what is required of you, and to be prepared to do it at once. I find that in my every-day work. I have had several assistants from Eng land, and they all lack this essential quality. A man with a knowledge of the arts and sciences, as applied to every-day life, will invariably hit the thing straight off the reel. It is not given to everyone to “grasp the situation,” as Gilbert says in “ The Gondoliers ; ” still, those who will study the thing will find a very profitable employment—-I mean to know what to do “when the unexpected happens,” so that it will come out trumps. Re the Quagga.—They are not extinct in this country. Down colony, near Sand Flats, is a place called Quagga Flats. I believe they run there still. Does the quagga breed 1 I am under the impression that the beast is the result of Birchell’s zebra mixing with the donkeys on the different farms. I have often seen hundreds of thousands of spring bucks mix with farm flocks. All wild animals mix with the flocks when they are migrating. The curses of the Pharoahs are still with us. Last week the sky was darkened with locusts, frightful and hideous, eating every living thing. They actually stopped the train. We have still the old plagues of frogs, locusts, murrain of beasts ; well, yes, and Potiphars’ wives, too, in galore. B. Harvey. The Kimberley Photographic Studio, Smith Africa. GLASGOW AND WEST OF SCOTLAND AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHIC ASSOCIATION. Sir,—Will you kindly intimate that an International Photo graphic Exhibition will be held in the Galleries of the Fine Art Institute, Glasgow, in September next, under the auspices of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Amateur Photographic Association. Full particulars will be announced very shortly. Besides the usual classes, there will be a section for photo mechanical work. It may not be amiss to remind our friends in the South that September is a favourite month for a trip to Scotland. Glasgow, Feb. 16th. Wm. Goodwin, Hon. Sec. THE OPTICAL LANTERN: ITS HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT. Sir,—I would feel obliged by your correcting an error which has crept into your report of my paper read before the Glas gow Photographic Association. The name of the French traveller whose writings are referred to should read De Mon- conys, and not De Moncorrys. William Lano, Jnr. Cross Park, Partick, Feb. loth. PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE CRYSTAL PALACE. Sir,—I, like Mr. Schofield, am both a season ticket and share holder in the Palace Company, and have also applied, some time since, to Messrs. Negretti and Zambra for permission to take photographs, and with about as satisfactory a result. I cannot say, however, that I feel the same resentment that he appears to do, as, upon thinking the matter over impartially, it certainly seems hardly reasonable to expect the firm to sus tain a considerable annual loss, seeing that, if they granted permission to one, they could hardly refuse another, with the probable result that the Palace would soon become a popular resort for amateurs, who, although pledged not to sell any photos, would be under no obligation not to give their friends copies, which they probably would do with a very generous hand—after the usual manner of amateurs—with the inevitable result of diminishing Messrs. Negretti & Zambra’s photographic business, for the exclusive rights of which they pay a large sum annually, and cannot, therefore, be reasonably expected to return a different reply to the very courteous one sent Mr. Schofield. Ernest Dalton. Anerley, Feb. 11th. HELIOCHROMY. Sir,—There is in your last week’s issue a mention about another discovery of photography in natural colours. It would be, perhaps, interesting to you to know some facts in connection with the described process. In. my recent experiments with ferrotype dry plates I often came across the same kind of effect of colours by reflection as stated by Professor Lippmann. Herewith I send you a specimen which, held against the light, shows very prominently the said result. I will not try to ex plain it, from fear of putting forward some erroneous theory similar to the one developed by Professor Lippmann, which seems to me rather difficult to prove. In fact, the waves of sound can be compared with such of the white light only, and not with the waves of the spectrum, especially in the actual case ; the number of vibrations of the sound and white light being constant, and of those of dispersed colours different with every hue. With the greatest attention paid to the direction of re flected rays, it is impossible to bring them back through the very point they traverse, even if the glass supporting the negative were as thin as paper ; consequently, the green rays, for ex ample, may, in their return, intercept the blue or yellow ones, the orange intercept the yellow or red waves, and so on. I shall be very glad to have made a mistake, and to see the report of discovery this time verified ; but for a while I think that after more careful examination of Professor Lippmann’s spectrum negatives, the colours will be found slightly misplaced, and that we are to-day as far from photography in natural colours as we were a month ago. L. NIEVSKY. 5, Gransden Road, Shepherd’s Bush, London, l&th February. ROUGH DRAWING PAPER. Sir,—If Colonel Noverre will turn to the Photographic News for 1873, page 354-5, he will find full instructions given of M. de Constant’s method of printing on plain paper, where he mentions, amongst other papers, “ Whatman's rough drawing paper.” He also mentions a method of giving a coarse grain to smooth paper. I have never seen any of M. de Constant’s productions, but I cannot doubt but that he used the roughest paper obtainable, as the word “ rough ” is especially mentioned, and not “ hot pressed,” the medium quality of Whatman’s paper. Again, in a leading article in the same journal for the year 1875, page 390-1, on “Drawing Paper for Photographic Por traiture,” the phrase “ rough drawing paper ” is again used, and working directions for preparing the same are given. You will doubtless have received many other communications referring to the early use of rough surfaced papers in photo graphy, but I pick these two out of my commonplace book as being particularly applicable to the present question. I do not think that there can be a moment’s doubt but that rough drawing paper was used long before the 1887 Pall Mall Exhibition, but at the same time we must freely give Colonel Noverre all credit for the revival of this most artistic method of reproducing our sesthetic impressions in monotint. LYONEr, Clark. . —• As Professor Lippmann’s photographs show the complemen tary colours by transmitted light, it seems to indicate that, by printing from them upon similarly prepared films, any number of truly coloured positives can be obtained from one negative. The latter might be stripped from a plate, and reversal of the sides avoided in the finished print.