If the book is to have bands, these should now be placed. Bands are those projections on the back of a well-bound book which represent the projection of the actual band upon which antique books were bound. Some binders use string or cord for these, but they generally consist of two or three thick.

nesses of leather glued together and dried under pressure, then cut into slips' one-eighth of an inch or less wide, with a sharp knife and the cutting-board. A single thickness of stout morocco will generally be sufficient. A piece of thin white paper is usually glued inside the leather, whether it be of a single thickness or made of several. Of course, the larger the book the wider the band. The book is now placed in the press and marked up, The general number of bands is five, and they are placed equidistant, rather more space being allowed at the tail than at the head of the book. Fig. 106 shows a small sketch of a back so marked and proportioned. The inside (paper side) of the leather band is then glued, and it is applied to the back of the book, just under the holes made with the compasses in marking up. Any superfluous glue that may squeeze out from under the band must be carefully wiped off for if the book be covered with delicate calf, all spots or smears of glue, either

upon the back or sides, will inevitably cause ill-looking stains upon the leather when it is covered. When the bands are quite dry, their ends must be cut off with a sharp knife at a bevel, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 107.

It may be mentioned here also that it is well, at this point, to cut off a small piece of the boards from the inside corner at the back, at head and tail, as at Fig. 108. This should be cut slanting so that only the inside is cut away. This like sloping off the sharp ends of the bands, is done in order that those sharp corners should not penetrate the soft damp leather when the book is covered.

For roan and morocco backs the whole of the back may now be lightly glued over. It will not stain or show through these leathers, and will much aid in their proper adhesion, a thing which their thickness and unpliability render much more difficult than with calf.

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