Secondly, there are noticeable varieties of the pendant curl at the back. The normal design shews a fairly thick wavy curl with a hair branching out from it into the space between the curl and the neck. This sub-curl, as we may call it, is occasionally missing, broken, or as in No. 11 on the imperforate 6d. sheet ([plate I]), the curl and sub-curl have joined together, giving a very different appearance to the back hair. There are also varying lengths of the main curl.
In the sheet of the 6d. value the plates seem to have been slightly defective, and there is a gentle slope down from the centre to the outside stamp on each side (Nos. 1 and 5), the slope being more pronounced on No. 5, where the upper label containing the word Gambia is recognised as the variety with slanting label. The left side of stamp 5 is 22½mm. high, and the right side 22mm. That the peculiarity occurs reversed on stamp No. 1, though it is less pronounced, there can be no doubt. In later issues both stamps 1 and 5 shew the defect more prominently, as will be readily seen from an examination of plates [I.], [X.], and [XI]. Curiously enough, the fault is not confined to the two outside stamps, as is generally supposed. The trouble is in the entire top row being ½mm. taller than the normal stamps of rows 2 and 3, except the left and right sides respectively of the end stamps (Nos. 1 and 5). The middle stamp of the top row shews a further peculiarity in the shape of the base of the neck. (Compare plates [I.], [X.], [XI.], with [XIV.])
Copies of both values exist overprinted specimen, and we have seen similar copies of all the regular issues of this Colony.
Chapter III.
Issue of 1874.
