456 plixy's NATUEAL HISTOET. [Book XXXYII. 



Phloginos,^° also called " chrysitis," " strongly resembles 

 Attic ochre/^ and is found in Egypt. Phoenicitis^^ is a stone 

 so called from its resemblance to a date. Phycitis receives its 

 name from its resemblance to sea-weed.^* Perileucos'' is the 

 name given to a gem, in which a white colour runs down from 

 ihe margin of the stone to the base. Paeanitis/^ by some called 

 " gaeanis," ^" conceives, it is said, and is good for females 

 at the time of parturition : this stone is found in Macedonia, 

 near the monument^^ of Tiresias there, and has all the appear- 

 ance of congealed water. 



CHAP. 67. — SOLIS GEMMA. SAGDA. SAMOTHEACIA. SAUEITIS. 

 SABCITIS. SELENITIS. SIDEBITIS. SIDEROPCECILOS. SPONGITIS. 

 STNODONTITIS. STRTITIS. SYEINGITIS. 



Solis gemma" is white, and, like the luminary from which 

 it takes its name, emits brilliant rays in a circular form. Sagda 

 is found by the people of Chaldaea adhering to ships, and is of 

 a leek-green colour. The Isle of Samothrace gives its name to 

 a stone"° which it produces, black and imponderous, and similar 

 to wood in appearance. Sauritis"^ is found, they say, in the belly 

 ©f the green lizard, cut asunder with a reed. Sarcitis^^ is a stone, 

 like beef in appearance. Selenitis'^ is white and transparent, 

 with a reflected colour like that of honey. It has a figure 

 within it like that of the moon, and reflects the face of that 

 luminary, if what we are told is true, according to its phases, 

 day by da}^ whether on the wane or whether on the increase : 

 this stone is a native of Arabia, it is thought. Sideritis^* is a 



10 " Flame-coloured." ^i " Golden-coloured stone." 



'2 See B. xxxiii. c. 56, and B. xxxv. cc. 12, 16. 



^3 " Palm-date stone. Desfontaines says that this is Jew stone, the 

 fossil spine of an egg-shaped echinus, See Chapter 56, Note 55. 



1* ^vKog; whence the Latin " fucus." ^^ "White around." 



^^ An Aetites or Geodes, probably.' See Chapter 56, Note 92 ; also B. 

 XXX. c. 44, and B. xxxvi. cc. 32, 39. ^^ "Earth stone," apparently. 



'^ The tomb of Tiresias was ordinarily pointed out in the vicinity of the 

 Tilphusan Well, near Thebes ; at least Pausanias states to that effect. 



1^ " Gem of the Sun." According to some, this is the Girasol opal; but 

 Ajasson lias no doubt, from the description given of it by Photius, from 

 Damascius, that it is identical with the " Asteria" of Chapter 47. See also 

 the " Astrion" of Chapter 48. ^o Supposed to be jet. 



-1 '' Lizard ttone." 22 "Plesh stone" 



23 " Moon stone." Our Selenite probably, crystallized sulphate of lime : 

 the thin laminte of which reflect the disk of the tun or moon. 



■•** " Stone like iron." See " Oritis" in Chapter 65 ; also B. xxxvi. c. 25, 

 and Chapter 15 of this Book, for minerals of this name. 



