368 ME. A. M. EINLAYSON ON THE NEPHRITE [Aug. I909, 



structure, and (b) horny structure. The former type breaks 

 with a more or less slaty cleavage ; while the latter has an 

 irregular fracture and yields little evidence of grain. Microscopic 

 examination shows that the two types differ in the arrangement 

 of their fibres, the slaty specimens having a schistose or foliated 

 structure of their fibres, while the fibres in the ' horny ' specimens 

 show a confused, felted, and tufted arrangement. 



Colour. — Some of the New Zealand green nephrites are the 

 most highly-translucent specimens of this mineral that have ever 

 been observed, with the exception of the rare ' emerald jade.' The 

 general appearance of the mineral varies considerably, although 

 the colour is a dark green (var. kawakawa), which may either 

 be very clear and highly translucent, or full of small black spots 

 and secretions, clouded and streaked, or dense and opaque. The 

 different shades have been variously described as light green, dark 

 green, spinach-green, seaweed-green, and olive-green. Of these,, 

 the spinach and seaweed shades are the commonest ; olive-green 

 occurs locally, in streaks or veins. 



Again, the tint is often observed to become much lighter, until 

 nearly all vestige of green has gone. The type of this variety 

 is often of a dull or pearly-grey colour, resembling some pale 

 Chinese or Turkestan nephrites. It is called inanga by the 

 natives, and, being of uncommon occurrence, is highly prized by 

 them. 



Another variety, likewise much valued, is kahurangi. This is 

 of paler green and much more translucent than the typical green 

 kawakawa. It occurs usually in streaks and veins, running 

 through the latter stone, giving a handsome variegated appearance 

 to the specimen. It is of such stone that the casket presented by 

 the Maoris to the Prince of Wales, during his visit to the Dominion, 

 was made. Kahurangi is recorded to be the most highly valued 

 of all the varieties of ' greenstone.' The variety, however, which is 

 almost exclusively used by the lapidary and jeweller, is the common 

 green kawakawa: this is the only variety that usually finds its 

 way into museums and collectors' cabinets. Thus the specimens 

 in the British Museum (Natural History) are all of kawakawa, 

 as likewise appear to be all the New Zealand specimens that are 

 described and figured in the Heber E. Bishop collection. 



Varieties. — The following are the chief varieties of nephrite 

 (greenstone) distinguished by the Maoris, on the basis of colour and 

 texture, although the differences are for the most part accidental 

 and do not affect the essential characters of the stone : — 



(1) Kawakawa: named from its resemblance to the leaf of a shrub of 



the same name (Piper excelsum). — Green of various shades. 



(2) Inanga. — Dull pearly white, varying to grey and green. Is un- 



common and highly prized. 



(3) Kahurangi. — Pale green and highly translucent. The most highly- 



prized variety. 



