I do not propose to deal with the subject of electrotyping to any extent, for if practised as an art, a good many little precautions are required, as the student may read in Gore's Electro-metallurgy. The above instructions will be found sufficient for the occasional use of the process in the construction of apparatus, etc. There is no advantage in attempting to hurry the process, a current density of about ten amperes per square foot being quite suitable and sufficiently low to ensure a solid deposit. Sec. 143. Blacking Brass Surfaces. A really uniform dead-black surface is difficult to produce on brass by chemical means. A paste of nitrate of copper and nitrate of silver heated on the brass is said to give a dead-black surface, but I have not succeeded in making it act uniformly. For optical purposes the best plan is to use a paint made up of "drop" black, ground very fine with a little shellac varnish, and diluted for use with alcohol. No more varnish than is necessary to cause the black to hold together should be employed. In general, if the paint be ground to the consistency of very thick cream with ordinary shellac varnish it will be found to work well when reduced by alcohol to a free painting consistency. A very fine gray and black finish, with a rather metallic lustre, may be easily given to brass work. For this purpose a dilute solution of platinum tetrachloride (not stronger than 1 per cent) is prepared by dissolving the salt in distilled water. The polished brass work is cleaned by rubbing with a cork and strong potash till all grease has disappeared, as shown by water standing uniformly on the metal and draining away without gathering into drops. After copious washing the work is wholly immersed in a considerable volume of the platinum tetrachloride solution at the ordinary temperature. After about a quarter of an hour the brass may be taken out and washed. The surface will be found to be nicely and uniformly coated if the above instructions have been carried out, but any finger-marks or otherwise dirty places will cause irregularity of deposit. If the process has been successful it will be found that the deposit adheres perfectly, hardly any of it being removed by vigorous rubbing with a cloth. If the deposit is allowed to thicken--either by leaving the articles in the solution too long or heating the solution, or having it too strong--it will merely rub off and leave an irregular surface. This process succeeds well with yellow brass and Muntz metal, either cast or rolled, but it does not give quite such uniform (though still good) results with gun-metal, on which, however, the deposit is darker and deader in appearance. A book might be written (several have been written) on the art of metal colouring, but though doubtless a beautiful and delicate art, it is of little service in the laboratory. For further information the reader may consult a work by Hiorns. Sec. 144. Sieves.