238 J. MILNE CURRAN. 
Rosy. 
It is a somewhat remarkable fact that while the blue corundum 
is so abundant, the red variety known as ruby should be one of 
the rarest of gems in New South Wales. The Bingara rubies are 
garnet, and the true ruby found in the diamondiferous drifts of 
that district are invariably small and fragmentary. I have 
recognised a pale rose-coloured ruby amongst gems from the 
Tumberumba River. Rubies have undoubtedly been found on 
the creeks of the Mole Tableland. Here, too, the occurrence is 
very limited. The only locality where I saw any quantity of 
rubies with miners was along the Two-Mile Flat, near Mudgee. 
The best stone from these drifts was in the possession of the late 
Mr. Milner Stephen. It weighed within a fraction of one carat, 
was perfect in colour, but showed a “feather on the templet.” 
In the year 1860, the Rev. W. B. Clarke wrote! that the occur- 
rence of the ruby with other gems in the gold alluvia of the 
southern as well as the northern goldfields, is now so common as 
to need little remark. Professor David must have examined the 
tin district of New England very minutely, as may be seen in his 
memoir on the Vegetable Creek Tin-mining Field.? The ‘‘Geology 
of the Vegetable Oreek Tin-Mining Field,” by Professor David, 
mentions many gems as coming under the author’s notice, but 
the ruby was clearly so rare as not to demand any attention. 
After an experience of twenty years, the present writer believes 
that the true ruby is rare,—in fact the rarest of our gems. 
EMERALD, 
Professor Liversidge mentions emerald being found in drifts at 
Tumberumba, Kiandra, mixed with granite detritus at Paradise 
Creek near Dundee, and in gneissiformed dykes on the summit of 
Mount Tennant. Prof. Liversidge states, however, that in some 
cases it is beryl that is ey meant.2 From efi own phe 
‘* Southern Goldfields,” p. 271. 
2 Gooey of the Vegetable Creek 'Tin-mining Field, by Prof. T. W. E. 
David 
3 ania of New South Wales, by Prof. Liversidge, p. 199. 
