March 1, 1864] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



THE GEMS OF AUSTRALIA. 375 



CORUNDUM. 



Sapphires. — These gems have been found from time to time since the 

 opening of the Ovens goldfields, and perhaps there more abundantly 

 than elsewhere. I have got them in every shade of blue, from nearly 

 black to the palest blue. Their crystallographic forms are generally 

 exceedingly obscure, fine crystals being very rare. 2. Besides the blue, 

 I can exhibit to-night specimens of the green sapphire — the oriental 

 emerald — but I have not a fine specimen polished. The one before 

 you is brownish in this light. 3. Star sapphires. — I believe I may 

 claim to have first discovered any specimens of these gems in Victoria. 

 In fact, until I found some among a quantity of matters collected 

 together from diggers, by Mr. Turner, the enthusiastic collector of gems 

 at Beechvvorth, I was not aware that this stone had been found any- 

 where out of Ceylon. 



Ruby. — I have seen but one which had been obtained anywhere in 

 Australia, and that was got in Queensland, and cut in Melbourne by 

 Mr. Spink, and turned out to be a star ruby, of good size and great 

 beauty. This stone is, I think, new. It belongs to the asterias ; but, 

 instead of having a floating star of six rays of white light, it has a 

 fixed star ot six black rays in a deep blue ground. As to the price of 

 sapphires when cut and polished, a good sapphire of 10 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.=8Z. 8s. 



Topazes. — These are very abundant at the Ovens and about Dunolly, 

 and in smaller crystals of great beauty from Flinders Island. This very 

 beautiful (1) small specimen is one 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 Dunolly. All, without exception, 

 were almost without distinct crystallographic characters. 



Beryl. — 1. I have seen no true emerald. 2. Beryls, I believe, have 

 been found in several places lately at or near Northcote, but the speci- 

 mens given to me I have not yet fully examined. 



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

 half-a-dozen poor. Mr. Butters mentioned a fine one found lately j list 

 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 Victorian 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 Beechworth digger. It is a very grand one. 



