the originals of this value probably had the imprint of the other pattern, and at the top or bottom. The reprints are therefore, probably from new plates. A few reprints with a forged grille have come under the observation of the writer, but as the grille was the small grille imitated from that on the 1869 issue it was easily detected. The 2nd or 1851 issue, as it is called in the circular, actually consisted of two series, the imperforate and perforate. Imperforate reprints were not furnished. The originals were perforated 15 to the mm. or 17 to the 7/8 of an inch. The reprints were perforated 12 to the mm. or 13 to the 7/8 of an inch. This is the perforation of the 1870 series and of most of the U. S. stamps. This is an absolute test then for perforated specimens. Attempts are, however, made to palm off trimmed reprints as imperforate specimens. The originals are on a yellowish paper and with brown gum. The reprints on a very white paper originally but easily manipulated to yellowish. The reprint of the one cent is from a new plate, the stamps have the outside fine labels of the original imperforate series, but are set farther apart on the plate so that even the larger perforation used does not cut into the stamp. The blue is too bright. The reprinted three cents has the outer top and bottom lines of the original imperforate stamp. The stamps do not seem to have been set quite far enough apart on the plate, as most specimens are somewhat marred by the large perforation. The color is however a vermilion and not the brick-red, pink or carmine of the originals. The reprinted five cents is from plate No. 2 without the top and bottom projection, and the stamps being too near together are marred by the large perforation. The color is a decided yellow brown, unlike any of the shades of the original. It would probably be impossible to remove the perforation so as to make this stamp pass for an imperforate specimen and then it would lack the projection of the original. The ten and twelve cents are harder to distinguish, the green is too green, the black too black. The twenty-four, thirty and ninety cents were not issued imperforate (except the very rare instances of the 24 cents) and are not likely to deceive any one, their colors, however, are the more brilliant new colors and not the old dull colors of the originals. The reprinted "Eagle" Carrier's stamp was first sent out perforated 12, the original was, of course, imperforate, and the stamps upon the sheet were separated by colored lines. The perforations of the reprints made sad havoc with these. Later the reprints were sent out imperforate. Such originals as the present writer has seen are on a yellowish tinted paper arising probably from the gum or age, the reprints are on a paper blued on the printed side by the ink of the stamp and with a blue cast at the back. The reprinted "Franklin" Carrier's stamp is on too deep a pink paper and the dark blue ink is not deep and dull enough.