On Precious Stones. 103 



districts like Beechworth, where so many have been already 

 found, and facilitating the collection of them, I would sug- 

 gest two things : — First, that the Athenaeum or Mechanics' 

 Institution should be provided with a few suitable and 

 secure glass cases, in which the stones found might be placed 

 for a time by their owners for exhibition. The larger the 

 number of each kind that can be grot together the better, as 

 then all the different shapes of the crystals, and their shades 

 of colour, can be compared. It is only by getting together 

 quantities of the different species, and showing them in a 

 collected form, that any adequate idea of either the beauty 

 of individual specimens, the abundance of the material, or 

 even the local monetary value of them, can be ascertained. 

 In this way, too, the various crystaline forms of the different 

 classes can be most easily impressed on the mind, and 

 occurring specimens readily recognised in the often hasty 

 operation of washing for gold. In all cases when practicable, 

 cut and polished specimens should be placed along with the 

 rough stones. The importance of this recommendation caunot 

 be exaggerated. Secondly, As to more carefully searching 

 for gems, I would suggest that schoolmasters teaching on 

 places like the Woolshed, for example, should try to interest 

 the children in searching for them in their play hours, and 

 induce them to. bring all the smaller crystals, no matter of 

 what colour, that they can find With very little teaching, 

 they would soon learn to reject the mere worthless quartz 

 crystals, and become expert collectors. Their quick eyes 

 and nimble fingers would enable thedBjco pick up rapidly 

 any crystal of value that was lying e^osed on the heaps of 

 tailings or in the sluices. It is certain they would often find 

 stones that would be at once worth a considerable sum of 

 money. As to children's fitness for this work, or amuse- 

 ment, I will make one extract from the writings of the 

 celebrated traveller and trader in gems, Tavernier. The 

 following was witnessed by him, on his visit to the mine of 

 Eoolconda : — " A very pretty sight is that presented every 

 " morning by the children of the master-miners and of other 

 " inhabitants of the district. The boys— the eldest of whom 

 " is not over sixteen, or the youngest under ten — assemble 

 "and sit under a large tree in the public square of the 

 " village. Each has his diamond- weights in a bag, hung on 

 " one side of his girdle, and on the other a purse containing 

 " sometimes as much as 500 or 600 pagodas. Here they 

 " wait for such persons as have diamonds to sell, either from 



