April 30, 1886.1 



SCIENCE. 



399 



forms either in the rapidly changing phantas- 

 magoria of delirium, or in the multiple vision of 

 an over-stimulated brain. Exactly that which is 

 chiefly conspicuous by its absence or its attenua- 

 tion in all forms of hysteric disease, is personal 

 identity, of which some of the pillars of the 

 ' Society for psychical research ' mistakenly hope 

 to find the secret by studying the cases of those 

 who pass their lives in disordered dreams. 



Two of the largest known Ceylonese Alexan- 

 drites are to be noted. One of these weighs 

 28 23-32 carats, and its dimensions are 32 mm. by 

 16 mm. by 9 mm. In daylight its fine rich green 

 color is tinged with red, but by gaslight it is a rich 

 columbine-red, and scarcely to be distinguished 

 from a Siamese purplish-red spinel. The other 

 stone is the largest on record (fig. 3). It weighs 



SOME REMARKABLE GEMS.' 

 A few remarkable gems have been recently 

 purchased by private buyers in the United States. 

 One of these is a chrysoberyl cat's-eye weighing 



Fig. 



80£ carats. Its dimensions are 23 mm. long, 

 mm. wide, and 17 mm. thick. The color, 

 which is very even, is a superb brownish 

 golden yellow, and the line is as even and 

 distinct as is possible in a gem of such size. 

 The cat's-eye hitherto awarded the palm is 

 part of the ' Hope collection ' included in the 

 Townshend bequest to the South Kensing- 

 ton museum (fig. 2). This famous gem 



Fig. 3. 



63| carats, and measures 33 mm. by 32 mm. by 

 15 mm. It has a yellow grass-green color by day- 

 light, but changes to a raspberry-red by artificial 

 light. 



The finest cut beryl (aquamarine) ever found in 

 the United States is from Stoneham, Me. (fig. 4). 



Fig. 2. 



measures 35.5 by 35 mm. in its true dimensions 

 (the Hope catalogue gives the length as two 

 inches, but this is only the case when measured 

 over the dome). It formed part of the crown 

 jewels taken from the King of Kandy in 1815. The 

 crystalline markings are so arranged that the lower 

 half shows an altar surmounted by a torch. The 

 line is not straight, but inclined about 15 degrees. 

 The color is dark, and the line is not so strongly 

 marked as it should be in a fine gem. 



1 From the Transactions of the New York academy of 

 sciences, vol. v. No. 6. 



Fig. 4. 



It measures 35 mm. by 35 mm. by 20 mm. It is 

 a magnificent brilliant-cut, and weighs 133f carats. 

 The color is a rich bluish-green, and, with the ex- 

 ception of a few minute hair-like internal stria- 

 tions, is perfect. 



A ruby cut en cabochon is exhibited from Frank- 

 lin, Macon county, N.C., showing somewhat the 

 asteria effect. It is of good normal color, and quite 

 free from flaws. Its dimensions are 5.5 mm. by 

 4 mm., and its weight 1 1-16 carats. 



George F. Kunz. 



RACE AND LANGUAGE. 

 That the character of a people, like that of 

 individuals, is indicated by their speech, is a com- 

 mon observation. We all understand that the 

 French, the German, and the Italian languages 

 have a certain consonance with the mental traits 

 of the nations that speak those tongues ; and this 

 fact may reasonably lead to certain inquiries. 



