THE GEMS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 829 



stone of Dr. Jackson), The actinolitc, when in straight layers in the 

 quartz, occasionally forms a quartz cat's-eye, if cut across the fibers. 



The large pieces of black onyx, chrysoprase, carnelian, and sardo- 

 nyx, the series of agates, of various colors, are cut into a variety of 

 forms ; the fine three-inch-square slab of " gold quartz," of the jewel- 

 ers, is from Grass Valley, California. 



Fine avanturine quartz, with spangles of mica in a rich reddish- 

 brown quartz, from Russia, vases of which are often worth thousands 

 of dollars ; and a fine green avanturine, called imperial jade by the 

 Chinese, and more esteemed by them than any of the true jades de- 

 serve attention. The series of fifteen small Indian mocha-stones is 

 very attractive ; the black, moss-like markings are relieved by the 

 red spots in the gray body of the stone, thus presenting a surface 

 beautifully diversified. A rich, brown, speckled jasper is worthy of 

 notice. The two cut moldavites (Moravian bottle-glass), about one 

 inch across, are of rare occurrence. They are transparent, dark-green 

 obsidians, from Moravia, for which worthless green bottle-glass has 

 sometimes been sold. 



The two sun-stones from Norway — the largest one and a half inch 

 long, the other a three-quarter-inch cut cabochon — are indeed fine, but 

 a cut stone of the same material, over one inch long, from Delaware 

 County, Pennsylvania, is nearly equal to them. Labradorites are fully 

 represented, some polished pieces being over one foot across, and a 

 number showing the beautiful chatoyant colors to perfection. 



Amber, yellow, transparent, and containing flies and other insects, 

 is present in the form of cut stones and beads, 



A rich, dark-brown cut aragonite from California, and the beau- 

 tiful green, copper-colored Smithsonite (a zinc - ore), from Laurium, 

 Greece, demand special notice. One is a cut cabochon over one inch 

 high, the other an ideal piece of the natural mineral. We observe also 

 a fine polished malachite from Siberia, and a dish of the highly prized 

 dark-blue fluorite from Derbyshire, England, where it is familiai'ly 

 known as " blue John." Vases of this material have often been sold 

 for over one thousand dollars. A slab of the Persian lapis-lazuli, and 

 one of the white-veined variety from the Peruvian Andes, well repre- 

 sent this species. A jade pendant, three inches long and of good color, 

 is one of the sort made in Germany to sell in New Zealand as genuine 

 aboriginal workmanship. Also a flat vase made of a light-green Chi- 

 nese jade, and one of the small bracelets of the same material, which 

 are put on the arms of girls in early childhood, and allowed to remain 

 there until the natural growth of the arm fixes them so tightly that 

 they can not be removed over the hand. A rich yellow flower chis- 

 eled out of serpentine, about four inches by two, is very pretty, as is 

 a curious, fanciful, dragon-like, talc ornament from Southern India. 

 Red, white, and mottled agalmatolite (Chinese figure - stone), from 

 China, is interesting. 



