454 plint's NATUEAL HISTOET. [Book XXXVIT. 



Alps. These stones are well adapted for cutting in relief.^* 

 MurrMtis^* has just the colour of myrrh, and very little of 

 the appearance of a gem : it has the odour also of an unguent, 

 and smells like nard when rubbed. Myrmecias®^ is black, and 

 has excrescences upon it like warts. Myrsinitis^^ has a colour 

 like that of honey, and the smell of myrtle. ''Mesoleucos"^^ 

 is the name given to a stone when a white line runs through 

 the middle ; and when a black vein intersects any other colour, 

 it is called *' mesomelas."®^ 



CHAP. 64. NASAMONITIS. NEBRITIS. NIPPAREKE. 



Nasamonitis is a blood-red stone, marked with black veins. 

 Nebritis, a stone sacred to Father Liber,®" has received its name 

 from its resemblance to a nebris.®^ There is also another stone 

 of this kind, that is black. I^ipparene^^ bears the name of a 

 city and people of Persia, and resembles the teeth of the hip- 

 popotamus. 



CHAP. 65. — GIGA. OMBRIA OR NOTIA. ONOCARDIA, ORITIS OR 

 SIDERITIS. OSTRAGIAS. OSTEITIS. OPHICARDELON. OBSIAN 

 STONE. 



Oica is the barbarian name given to a stone which is pleas- 

 ing for its colours, black, reddish yellow, green, and white. 

 Ombria,^^ by some called notia,"®* falls with showers and 

 lightning, much in the same manner as ceraunia^^ and bron- 

 tea,^^ the properties of which it is said to possess. There is a 

 statement also, that if this stone is placed upon altars it will 

 prevent the offerings from being consumed. Onocardia®^* is 

 like kermesberry in appearance, but nothing further is said 

 about it. Oritis,^' by some called '' sideritis," ^^ is a stone of 



8* " Ectypse sculpturae." See B. xxxv. c. 43. 



85 "Myrrh stone." It was an Eastern compound, probably. See 

 Chapter 54, Note 25. 85 a ^^rt stone." ^7 " Myrtle stone." 



68 a "WThite in the middle." This and the next seem to have been 

 general names for stones of a particular appearance. 



89 " Black in the middle." ^^ Bacchus. 



^1 A Greek word, signifying the skin of a fawn or deer, as worn by the 

 Bacchanals in the celebration of their orgies. Ajasson is of opinion that 

 this was a mottled quartz or agate, similar to those mentioned as resembling 

 the spots of the lion, in Chapter 54, the Leon tios and Pardalios of Chapter 73. 



9'^ This reading is doubtful. 9' " Shower stone," apparently. 



'* From "Notus," the south wind, which usually brought rain. 



^\ See Chapters 48 and 51. ^^ See Chapter 55 of this Book. 



^^* " Ass's heart." ^' •* Mountain stone." ^^ ggg Chapter 67* 



