44 
THE MUSEUM. 
one holding to an arm on each side of it. Nor 
could they stop it, or even let go, but after 
dancing for a time in the house, it took them 
outside and started toward the salt water. 
The people, afraid that something would 
happen, followed, trying to stop it, but could 
not do so. It danced to the water and into it, 
and made a plunge head foremost, when all 
three were changed into the fish called the 
Skate, which still lives in the water. 
Mr. Albert D. Hager, Librarian of the Chi¬ 
cago Historical Society, possesses a copper 
spear-head which contains blotches of silver, 
which stand out above the general surface of 
the copper. We understand that this speci¬ 
men is one of seven fine spear points which 
were plowed up near Sheboygan, Wis., in 
the neighborhood of a series of mounds, and 
that the set may be purchased for the nomi¬ 
nal sum of fifty dollars. 
WATER-MARKS. 
[Prize Essay.] 
BY WILLIAM A. JEFFERIS. 
Water-marks are generally employed by a 
large number of governments in their stamped 
paper. They are to be found in the French 
stamped papers of the seventeenth and 
eighteenth centuries. The designs are of 
infinite variety. Their object is to increase 
the difficulties in counterfeiting, and to assign 
a date to the using of the paper, for they are 
to be found, on close examination, in nearly 
all the early issues of a great number of 
countries. The manner in which the water¬ 
mark is impressed on machine-made paper 
is by means of a fine light wire cylinder, with 
a wire-woven pattern. The water-mark in 
the paper of different manufactures, such as 
writing paper, etc., is produced by coarse 
wires of the required designs attached to the 
moulds, so as to cause the layer of fibre to be 
somewhat thinner on their lines. Various 
devices formerly made use of in this way 
gave names to sorts of paper to which they 
were applied, and the papers have still re¬ 
tained these names : thus, “ Post paper,” from 
the design of a postman’s horn; that which 
was called “ Pot paper ” had the design of a 
pot or jug, and so forth. Water-marks upon 
commercial paper, as bank notes, checks, 
etc., serve a useful purpose in rendering for¬ 
geries more difficult. A friend of mine told 
me that on one of his trips to Europe he had 
occasion to have a five-pound note changed 
while in London, so stepped into one of the 
banks and presented it to the paying teller, 
who, immediately perceiving that he was a 
stranger, held the said note up to the light 
and examined it carefully. My friend states 
he afterwards discovered that the teller was 
looking to see if he could detect anything in 
the water-mark, or if it was in the note. 
Latterly it has been found that the perfection 
of the work, and the small intrinsic value of 
the stamps, were much more serious obstacles 
to their being’ counterfeited. The study of 
water-marks has been neglected until within 
a short time. The early catalogues on post¬ 
age stamps merely make mention of the 
various water-marks on paper and in the 
postage stamps. The finding of these water¬ 
marks is often quite difficult. In some cases 
they are easily found by holding the stamp to 
the light; we have found that it is much more 
easily done by placing it face down on a dark 
object. In this manner the design of the 
water-mark plainly appears. 
None of the United States stamps contain 
water-marks; but the remarkable perfection 
of the engraving is sufficient security against 
counterfeiting. The envelopes have been 
and are yet made out of a paper having this 
water-mark. A first line contains the capital 
letters P. O. D.; the second one the letters 
U. S. The same inscription is reproduced 
one centimetre below, and in an oblique line 
to the end of the sheet. 
It is from this paper that the envelopes are 
cut, therefore it is easy to understand the 
numerous positions the inscriptions will 
occupy through the hazards of cutting. This 
water-mark is found on both white and buff 
paper. The explanation is the same for 
