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1891.] Recent Literature. IIIQ 
Gems and Precious Stones of North America,’ by G. F 
Kunz, has for its object, to quote from the author’s introduction, the 
presentation of ‘“‘as many of the facts as possible regarding the pre- 
cious stones peculiar to the United States, Canada, and Mexico, so 
that they may be available, not only to the mineralogist, the miner, 
the mineral and gem collector, the archeologist, and the jeweler, but 
also to the public ; the conditions under which they occur, the methods 
by which the mining and search for them are conducted, the value and 
production of different stones, and also an account of the collections 
in these countries.” 
Although not pretending to be a complete treatise on gems, the vol- 
ume certainly approaches nearer to this ideal than any other book pub- 
lished, either in this country or abroad. Not only are the true gem 
materials carefully described, but other substances more or less fre- 
quently used as ornamental stones are ably discussed. Eleven chapters 
deal with the properties of valuable stones, the history of their occur- 
rence in North America, statements of authenticated finds, descriptions 
of the most noted gems in the possession of Americans, and many 
interesting facts concerning their present as well as their prehistoric 
use. A twelfth chapter treats of pearls in the same detailed manner. 
Chapters thirteenth and fourteenth give accounts of Canadian, Mexi- 
can, and Central American gem localities, and the fifteenth chapter 
portrays the aboriginal North American lapidarian at work. The six- 
teenth and last chapter is devoted to definitions to the value of impor- 
tations of gem material, the methods of preparing it for sale, and to 
the descriptions of famous American collections. 
If space permitted, an abstract of Mr. Kunz’s book would be well 
worth giving ; but since no abstract that would be at all worthy of 
presentation as representative of the great wealth of interesting 
material found in the volume could be made that would fall within 
the limits of a review article, it seems best not to insult the artistic 
tastes of gem connoisseurs by an attempt ata brief outline of this 
excellent treatise and piece of art,—for the volume is not merely a 
work on art; it is itself a piece of art. The colored plates of precious 
stones show these objects in all their beauty; more especially are the 
plates illustrating the garnets and the tourmalines to be mentioned. 
In the former we can actually see the sparkle of those magnificent 
blood-red gems as they lie in a brilliant beam of light, while a glance at 
the latter must make the heart of any true son of Maine beat fast at the 
thought of such beauty coming from the rugged hills of his mother state, 
3A popular description of their occurrence, value, history, archeology, ome New 
York : Scientific Pub. Co., 1890, p. 336, Vi. ; 8 lith. plates and numerous illus 

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