Bouve\] 4 [January 2, 



To make assurance doubly sure respecting their true character, 

 I scraped off from the girdle of one of them, sufficient quantity 

 of powder for examination. This was mixed with fluorite 

 and bi-sulphate of potash, in the proportions suggested by Pro- 

 fessor Dana in his System of Mineralogy, made into a paste and 

 subjected to blowpipe action with the expected result of produc- 

 ing a beautiful lithia red flame. Thus it was shown that we have 

 among gems, not only one representative of the mineral Spodu- 

 mene in the green variety Hiddenite, but a second of a light 

 yellow or yellowish white color. This last is supposed to come 

 from Brazil, though as yet I have no positive information on the 

 subject. 1 



The lack of knowledge on the part of jewelers and dealers in 

 precious stones, as to the specific character of those which pass 

 through their hands and the modes of determining this, has been 

 a matter of great surprise to me considering especially that they 

 have been constantly liable to receive, as well as to dispose of, in- 

 ferior gems for those of superior value. True, they become 

 expert in detecting the one from the other by the eye alone, and 

 in case of stones not set, the hardness is somewhat relied upon. 

 But who can tell without resort to other means many of the 

 Chrysoberyls from Sapphires, or some of the Zircons from Topazes 

 and Garnets. How many will venture to decide from four white 

 cut stones which is a Topaz, which a Sapphire, which a Phena- 

 cite, and which a Beryl. If it is said that the hardness is differ- 

 ent and should distinguish them, I will reply that though this 

 might be true with freedom of manipulation and proper means of 

 comparison, that ordinarily it would not be found easy to show 

 the degrees of hardness. Indeed, without considerable ex]3eri- 

 ence and judgment, even with freedom of manipulation and 

 proper appliances there is likely to be error. 



To prove to me that a stone was a Beryl, the edge of it was 

 shown to scratch readily the face of a Quartz crystal, but when 

 I asked the dealer to try fairly the edge of another quartz stone 



1 Since the above was written stones of the character mentioned have become more 

 common. They are brought from Brazil. 



Gems from the mineral Andalusite have also appeared. They are of a light olive 

 tint, but exhibit from remarkable dichroism a beautiful orange hue in the sloping 

 step facets. Through a dichroscope the twin colors are a light olive and a deep red. 

 These also are said to come from Brazil. 



