The plates of this issue having been prepared with a view of perforating, the stamps are placed sufficiently far apart to allow a perforation, without ordinarily cutting into the stamps. Occasionally eccentricities may be found, which are the result of accident. The sheets, as in the previous issue, consist of 200 stamps, the central point is indicated by three lines at the top and at the bottom, and the sheets are cut apart on this line and distributed in half sheets of 100, or ten stamps in ten rows. The printer's imprint is generally to be found at the center of the top and bottom of each half sheet, at about 4 mm. from the printed stamps, and consists of a small colored label with a dotted edge, inscribed "National Bank Note Co." preceded by "New York," and followed by "City" in colored capitals. The plate number also appears near this. The ONE CENT varies in color from a pale blue to a dark blue, generally of the shade known as ultramarine. The paper is ordinarily white with a yellowish cast, but there are specimens which appear surfaced with the same ink as the stamp, which is probably an accident from imperfect wiping of the plates, and others the paper of which has a pale pink cast, both on the front and back. The TWO CENTS varies from grey to black, with occasional specimens partially tinted with the ink, probably from the same cause as in the one cent. _Variety._ Doubly perforated at the sides. The THREE CENTS varies from a very faint rose to a deep rose, with occasional specimens tinted as in the other values, probably from the same cause. _Variety._ Doubly perforated at sides. " " top and bottom. There are also a few specimens known of a scarlet tint. They resemble the ordinary stamps of this value in all other particulars, and it does not appear to be settled whether they were ever used or not. Proofs, both perforated and unperforated, exist in this shade, and the better opinion would seem to be that all of this shade are proofs. It is claimed, however, that a sheet, or part of a sheet unused, was picked up at the New York Post Office by a collector. Strips of ten stamps adhering, forming a vertical row from the sheet, and showing a double perforation along the sides are also exhibited. Unperforated specimens have been catalogued. The FIVE CENTS was originally issued in a pale yellow brown or ochre, but was changed in September to a darker brown, with a reddish cast, there is also a brown with a yellowish cast, another with a blackish cast and a chestnut brown. It would appear that the latter is the true color composed of red, yellow and black, and that the others result from some improper mixing of these colors, by which one or the other predominates. _Variety._ Doubly perforated at the sides. A "yellowish brown," meaning the brown with a yellowish cast, has been chronicled unperforated.