40 Mr. H. C. Collyer on Jade or Nephrite. 
them, the number denoting the rank of the wearer. The one 
shown from my own collection has four such—two of jade, one of 
amythyst, and one of glass imitating saphhire. There isa vacant 
place for another to be added when the wearer rose in rank. 
There is also an imitation of a New Zealand ‘ Tiki,” but smaller— 
this is from Pekin, thus being a Chinese adoption of a New 
Zealand superstition; and a Persian charm of greyish jade 
with a long inscription; also three Chinese discoidal charms, 
one of them with characters, another plain, and the third of 
pure white jade, very finely carved. A water-worn lump of 
white jade is in its natural state, as found in a river-bed. 
I was recently shown a large piece of New Zealand jade which 
its owner had received in its natural state, but afterwards had it 
cut and polished, and the workman said he did not wish to do 
any more jade-cutting, as being so tough it tore his wheels all 
to pieces. 
The principal authorities on the subject of nephrite in this 
country are Mr. F. W. Rudler, F.G.S., and Mr. J. Hilton, F.S.A. 
Various papers and notes by both these gentlemen have appeared 
at various times in the Journal of the Archeological Institute, 
and the Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain, 
from which many of the foregoing facts have been collated. 
Dr. A. B. Meyer, the Director of Museums at Berlin, is issuing 
in parts a most exhaustive work on nephrite, ‘‘ Zur Nephritirage.” 
The part issued this year describes the jade axes used by the 
natives of New Guinea, which are true oceanic jade; and also 
gives an account of the finding of a large and remarkable block 
of jade found in a quarry at Jordansmiihl, in Silesia. This 
block, weighing 2140 kilos, was an erratic boulder, borne from a 
long distance by glacial action, and of fine quality. It is esti- 
mated to exceed in weight all the jade and jadeite axes found, and 
in public and private collections in Europe. He also gives a full 
list of all the papers, books, and notices on the subject of jade, 
amounting to about three hundred in number, which have 
appeared in various scientific journals and transactions, reports 
and publications of societies, &c., in Germany, America, Great 
Britain, France, and Italy during the past twenty years. 
The whole subject of the superstition attached to various 
stones is a wide and a very interesting one. It lies at the root 
of much of the esteem in which precious stones are held, apart 
from their beauty. Kven at the present day in this country 
many people firmly believe in lucky and unlucky stones. How 
many people consider opals unlucky, and will neither wear them 
or give them to anyone, although they are the most beautiful 
of stones; whilst jade, which is ugly and unattractive-looking, 
is highly esteemed as lucky. 
