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THE GROWTH OF THE INK BLOT. 

 By W. H. Patteicson, M.R.LA. 



[Abstract.] 



The author described some experiments on the markings 

 produced by the apphcation of various coloured inks to 

 blotting paper and exhibited some remarkably brilliant ''blots" 

 which he had made, or rather which had made themselves by 

 the methods described below. Some of them bore a wonderful 

 resemblance to the pictures that have been produced of the 

 corona during an eclipse of the sun, others looked like paintings 

 of botanical subjects, but all possessed a strange kind of con- 

 structive beauty and harmonious blending of colour. Very 

 frankly Mr. Patterson admitted that the " blots," so far as he 

 knew, were of no practical use further than to illustrate in a 

 pleasing manner the principal of capillary attraction. 



In forming the blot, the materials or appliances required 

 are some ink, some white blotting paper, and a piece of cotton 

 cord to serve as a wick. The most convenient way of causing 

 the blots to grow is by placing a wick in a bottle of ink so that 

 the ink can freely rise to the upper point of the wick. The 

 lower side of a sheet of blotting paper is then brought in 

 contact with the point of wick, and supported there in any 

 convenient manner, for instance, on the edge of a bowl or basin, 

 inside which the bottle of ink may stand. 



The ink immediately commences to rise through the wick 

 into the paper, and quickly or slowly, according to the nature 

 of the ink, spreads into a blot of more or less circular form, until 

 it reaches the edge of the paper, but it is not well to let it go 



