446 Flint's natueal histoet. [Book XXXVII. 



for its hardness. Crocallis^^ is a gem like the cherry in its 

 tints. Cyitis^^ is a stone found in the vicinity of Coptos ; it is 

 white, and to all appearance has an embryo stone within, 

 the rattling of which may be heard on shaking it. Chalco- 

 plionos®^ is a black stone, but when struck it clinks like brass : 

 tragic actors are recommended to carry it about them. Of 

 chelidonia®* there are two varieties, both resembling the swal- 

 low in colour : one of them is purple on one side, and the 

 other is purple besprinkled with black spots. Chelonia®^ is the 

 eye of the Indian tortoise, and is the most marvellous of all the 

 stones, if we believe the lying stories told by the magicians. 

 Tor, according to them, this stone, placed upon the tongue after 

 rinsing the mouth with honey, will ensure power of divina- 

 tion, if this is done at full moon or new moon, for one whole 

 day. If, however, this plan is adopted while the moon is on 

 the increase, the power of divination will be acquired before 

 sun-rise only, and if upon other days, from the first^^ hour to 

 the sixth. 



Chelonitis,®'' too, is a stone that resembles the tortoise^^ in 

 appearance, and the many virtues of which are talked of for 

 calming storms and tempests. As to the one that has all the 

 appearance of being sprinkled with spots of gold, if thrown 

 with a scarabaeus into boiling water, it will raise a tempest, 

 they say. Chloritis^^ is a stone of a grass-green colour : ac- 

 cording to the magicians, it is found in the crop of the mota- 

 cilla,^ being engendered with the bird. They recommend 

 also that it should be set in iron, for the purpose of working 

 certain portentous marvels which they promise, as usual. 

 Choaspitis is a stone so called from the river Choaspes,^ of a 

 brilliant, golden colour mixed with green. Chrysolampis^ is a 



^' " Saffron-coloured," probably. If this is the meaning of the name, it 

 may be supposed to have resembled the bigaroon cherry. 



92 u Pregnant stone. An aetites or geodes, probably. See B. xxx. c. 44, 

 and B. xxxvi. c. 39. 



^3 " Sounding like brass." Probably Clinkstone or Phonolite, a com- 

 jiact feldspathic rock of a greyish coloui", clinking under the hammer when 

 struck, somewhat like a metal. ^* " Swallow-stone." 



95 <4 Tortoise-stone." ^^ Six in the morning until mid-day. 



9' '' Tortoise-like stone." ^^ u Chelone," in Greek. 



^* " Grass-green stone." It is just possible that the Chlorite of modern 

 Mineralogy, a kind of emerald-green talc, or hydrous silicate of magnesia, 

 may be meant : but we must dismiss the story of the wagtail. 



^ The pied wagtail, Motacilla alba of Linnaeus. - See B. vi. c. 31. 



2 •' Golden light." Ajasson suggests that this may have been a yellow 



