250 



HOTES AND QUERIES. 



[Sept. 29. 1855. 



unable to decide whether this be the Reachrainn 

 (Rathlin or Raghery) Island on the coast of An- 

 trim, or the other island of the same name (but 

 now called Lambay) on the coast of Dublin (" in 

 the east of Bregia "), where St. Columbkille had 

 erected a church. 



I adhere to the conjecture expressed in my 

 former letter, that Mr. Thompson's Rathlin is 

 either Rathcline in the diocese of Ardagh, or 

 Rathlure, now included in Derry, but which is 

 mentioned as a distinct see in the list of the 

 suffragans which, at the Council of Kells in 

 A.D. 1152, were assigned to each of the four Arch- 

 bishops of Ireland. It appears also in the list of 

 Irish sees given by Camden {Britannia, p. 735., 

 Lond. 1607), and in those published by Carolus 

 a St. Paulo (^Geographia Sacra, p. 170., and No- 

 titicB Antiquce Ecclesiasticce, pp. 71. 84., Paris, 

 1641). 



Mr. Mackenzie Walcott gives his opinion that 

 the Maionensis and Argolicensis of Mr. Thomp- 

 son's Query " were suffragans of English diocesans 

 with titular sees." This conjecture is rendered 

 probable by the instances of this kind which Arch- 

 deacon Cotton has given both as to Mayo and 

 Enachdune (Fasti, vol. iv. pp. 50. 54, 55.). But 

 I should, however, wish that Mr. Walcott would 

 favour us with his reasons for having the same 

 opinion as to the titular of Argolis. 



I believe that F. C. H. has made a happy con- 

 jecture as to Carleus being intended for Caerleo- 

 lensis, as the ancient See of Caerleon, in Mon- 

 mouth, is excluded from consideration by the date 

 1498. Abteeus. 



Dublin. 



absorbent paper. 

 (Vol. xii., p. 175.) 



In answer to "C," I send a second Note regard- 

 ing the rendering of the absorbent paper of ^ome 

 printed books hard and firm enough to carry com- 

 mon writing ink without blotting. I fear that 

 little can be done to impart size to a portion of 

 the leaf; if not liable to stain with the union of 

 the dry and damp fabric, it might so stretch the 

 paper in parts as to disfigure the volume. A book 

 may be sized before binding, either in single leaves 

 or sheets, being dipped at once to produce even 

 ^texture. The consistency of the size may be re- 

 gulated by the porous state of the paper. The 

 best size is that produced from vellum cuttings, — 

 clean parchment in strips, being first scalded, to 

 remove impurities, and afterwards boiled with 

 water to a jelly. This clear and beautiful matter 

 is then fit, after straining, for immediate use 

 (warm). I feel that were the work not of much 

 value, or the notes many, pencil fixed with milk, 

 or even without the addition of it, would be dur- 



No. 309.] 



able for ordinary purposes. Pencil drawings on 

 sized paper may be fixed by holding the sheet 

 over a dish of steaming water. I am well aware 

 that some papers attract damp, from animal sub- 

 stances in them and injudicious keeping, but think 

 vellum size would be as little likely as any to 

 effect it. Papers that have had writings removed 

 by lime and acids should be carefully washed, to 

 rid them of such destroying agents, and be resized 

 to preserve them Irom rot. Luke Limner. 



Paris. 



I have recently been obliged to render a Ger- 

 man book printed on absorbent paper capable of 

 bearing marginal references, alterations, &c., and 

 this I have easily effected, with no damage what- 

 ever to the work, by dabbing on a solution of isin- 

 glass and warm water with a sponge ; the paper 

 soon dries, and is then perfectly sized, and will 

 bear any amount of pen-and-ink work. 



Translator. 



H. C. meditates sizing the page every time he 

 makes a note ; I recommend him to adopt instead 

 the plan of having small bits of paper isinglassed 

 at the corners (Vol. i., p. 462.). I have used this 

 plan for many years, and find it preferable to all 

 others. M. 



photogeaphic coerespondencb. 



On the Employment of Distilled Water. — M. M. A. Gau- 

 din, calculator to the Bureau des Longitudes at Paris, 

 has published a letter in La Lumiere on this subject ; his 

 idea is to do away with the employment of distilled water 

 in photography almost entirely. If his views are correct, 

 he will have conferred a great benefit upon those who 

 take their cameras with them on a tour, as the carrying^ 

 a large bottle of distilled water is always one of the 

 greatest inconveniences. M. Gaudin says : 



" River, spring, and well waters always contain certain 

 salts in solution ; that is to say, chlorides sulphates, and 

 sometimes carbonates. The chlorides alone produce a 

 precipitate with nitrate of silver; but it is so minutel}' 

 divided, that it passes through a paper filter. In this 

 case the liquid is turbid, but no chemist can prove that 

 it is any the worse for that. In the preparation of positive 

 paper it is a very minute portion of chloride of silver 

 which is added to the chloride of silver constituting the 

 effective condition of the paper. With negative paper 

 it is still only a very small portion of chloride of silver 

 which is added to the iodide of silver forming the base 

 of the paper. 



" If the chloride of silver so formed becomes agglomer- 

 ated, it can be easily separated by a paper filter, and the 

 bath, once clear, cannot be sensibly influenced by the 

 sulphates which remain in solution and play a part anala- 

 gous to that of the nitrates resulting from the formation 

 of chloride and iodide of silver forming the base of the 

 photographic papers. This is why M. Disderi lias said, 

 very justly, ' Would you prevent water becoming turbid 

 with nitrate of silver? — pour in first a little of the nitrate, 

 and filter it after the chloride or any other precipitate 

 peculiar to the water has become of some consistence ; in 



