72 On Colonial Gems. 



Art. IX. — Speculations of the Zodiacal Light, a paper by 

 Mr. T. E. Rawlinson, of Belfast, was read 25th June, 

 1868. 



Aet. X. — On Colonial Gems. By Rev. J. J. Bleasdale, D.D. 



[Read 25th June, 1868.] 



Mr. President and Gentlemen, 



I need scarcely remind you that already on several 

 occasions I have brought under the notice of this learned 

 society the results of my studies of Victorian, and other 

 Australian gem-stones. To night I propose to resume the 

 subject, and bring my lists a step or two nearer to completion. 

 I am happy to say that I have quite a number of new and 

 interesting matters to show you. They are new and 

 interesting, both as regards several of their varieties and the 

 district where they have been obtained. 



I have no exact knowledge of the locality whence they 

 came, that is to say, not within a few miles, but most of you 

 may be aware that prospecting for ores of tin has been 

 going on in the creeks, about Berwick for some time — 

 and it seems most likely that some of the prospectors 

 dropped upon the spot which yielded them. 



In my former reports I have mentioned that a Victorian 

 ruby had never been met with by myself. I wondered at it, 

 the more so as Barklyite (an opaque ruby-red corundum) is 

 found at Beechworth, and Mr. Ulrich had assured me he 

 had seen one. The Rev. Mr. Clarke, of Sydney, showed me 

 a large quantity obtained by himself, when examining the 

 granite formations near Armidale, in New South Wales. I 

 had also seen and examined one or two reported to have 

 been brought from New Zealand. To night, however, I shall 

 be able to settle the question of their occurrence in Victoria, 

 beyond a doubt. 



These of my present notice, specimens of which I lay 

 before you, were most kindly placed in my hands by my 

 friend, Mr. Crisp, of Queen-street. He got them from "Mr. 

 Henty, who really owns them, and in the vicinity of whose 

 station, below Dandenong, they were found. They are 

 interesting from many points of consideration. The first 

 blue sapphire ever found in Victoria was got by Mr. Crisp 



