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distinctly green marks are chosen. These green marks, or spots, are caused by the presence of oxide of manganese. The stone has to be well washed, in the first place, after which it is subjected to processes similar to those employed with the ordinary petuntse. When, by these processes, the purest portions have been separated, there is added to every hundred parts by weight of the liquid one part of fibrous gypsum, which has been previously brought to a red heat.’’ M. Salvétat considers that the rdle played by this gyp- sum is purely mechanical. It facilitates the precipita tion of minute impurities held in suspension in the liquid. ‘‘The glazing matter, thus prepared, is never used alone. There is added to it another substance which may be called its soul, and which is prepared as follows: — A mass of lime is taken and sprinkled with water to reduce it to powder. A bed of fern is then made and on this is placed a bed of the slacked lime. Over this is placed another bed of fern and then another of lime and so on. The whole mass is subsequently roasted, and when it is entirely calcined, the ashes are spread upon another bed of fern, and the process of piling and burning is gone though de novo. This is repeated six or seven times, and even oftener for very choice glazes. According to the history of Fu-liang, the wood of the Diospyrus Kaki was formerly used instead of ferns, but this practice has been abandoned owing to the scarcity of the tree. Perhaps the change of process is responsible for the deterioration in the quality of modern porcelain.” M. d’Entrecolles, it must be remembered, wrote these notes in 1720-25; that is to say, during the closing years of the reign of Kang-hsi, an epoch generally

regarded as particularly prolific in fine wares. His