102 On Precious Stones. 



As to the price of sapphires when cut and polished, a good 

 sapphire of ten carats is valued at fifty guineas, and one of 

 twenty carats at 200 guineas. Under ten carats the price 

 may be estimated by multiplying the square of its weight 

 in carats into half a guinea ; thus one of four carats would 

 be worth— 4 x 4 x 10s. 6d.=:£8 8s. 



Topazes. — 1. White. — These are very abundant at the 

 Ovens and about Dunolly, and in smaller crystal of great 

 beauty from Minders Island. This very beautiful small 

 specimen is from there, and was cut by Mr. Spink. 2. Blue. 

 ■ — Of these I have seen some very large and exceedingly 

 splendid specimens. 3. Red. — I have seen none of this kind, 

 but they are reported to have - been found at Dun oily. All, 

 without exception, were outwardly almost without distinct 

 crystallographic characters. No yellow ones yet have been 

 shown to me. 



Beril. — 1. I have seen no true emerald. 2. Aquamarines, 

 I believe, have been found in several places, lately at or near 

 Northcote, but the specimens given to me I have not yet 

 finally examined. 



Garnets, Hyacinths, and Zircons. — 1. Garnets. — I have 

 seen about half-a-dozen altogether, Almandine tints, Mr. 

 Butters mentioned a line one found lately just over Prince's 

 Bridge, near the barracks. 2. Hyacinths. — I have several, 

 one of very fine colour. 3. Zircons are very abundant on 

 several of the gold-fields. They have often been mistaken, 

 when small, for rubies. I exhibit the first white Yictorian 

 zircon I have seen. It is cut heart shape, and is a superb 

 stone. 



Opals. — District, the Ovens. — 1. White and milky, but 

 with a fair share of fire — I have seen in Beechworth some 

 fine specimens, much water- worn and in shape resembling 

 rather long and flat French beans. 2. Fire Opal. — I have 

 seen only one specimen, which was given me by a Beech- 

 worth digger. It is a very grand one. 



Amethysts. — In great abundance on the Ovens and else- 

 where. 1. Yellow, very abundant, and frequently fine, of 

 the Cairngorm variety. 2. Purple, also abundant. 3. White 

 Rock Crystal — This is the stone which so oftens tempts 

 persons with the notion they have discovered a diamond. 



Jaspars and Agates. — Very abundant on the Ovens, and 

 some of them large, and very beautifully variegated. 



With regard to improving and diffusing the knowledge of 

 precious stones among the mining populations, especially in 



