MR. J. T. HOTBLACK ON PRECIOUS STONES. 
27 
Malachite is found in many places in Europe and Asia, and also 
in Australia ; it would probably also be present in both Africa and 
America. Most of it is melted for the large quantity of copper 
which it contains, only a small portion being fit for ornamental 
purposes, and the best and most compact variety susceptible of 
a high polish is very rare ; the best comes from Siberia. In Russia 
even the doors of palaces have been made of it, but it is mostly 
used for cabinet work. Though some is used in jewellery, it is not 
of much value. 
Amber 
is a fossilized gum, its hardness is but 2.0 to 2.5, its S.G. 1.08, 
its composition : Carbon 79.0 to 81.0 ; hydrogen 7.30 to 10.50 ; 
oxygen 6.70 to 10.50. 
It varies from nearly, or quite transparent, to quite opaque. It 
burns readily, giving an agreeable odour. The colour varies from 
nearly white to a deep yellow or brownish orange. It is very 
brittle, and can be cut with a knife. 
Amber is, perhaps, most interesting to ‘Naturalists’ on account 
of the number of insects found imbedded in it. I have seen 163 
species of insects enumerated as found in amber, most of which 
would have been unknown to science but for tbeir presence there. 
Amber principally comes from the coasts of the Baltic, though 
some of the finest quality is dredged in the North Sea by English 
fishing-boats, and finds a ready sale at a good price to dealers who 
understand its value at all the fishing ports. The opaque and less 
valuable is called by the dealers “ fat amber,” and there is some 
petrified gum brought from Australia, which it is hard to distinguish 
from it. 
There is a tradition at Yarmouth and Lowestoft that some time 
since a lot of this Australian gum, which I believe is largely sent 
to this country for the making of varnish, was wrecked off there. 
I have myself a specimen dredged in the North Sea, which some 
“experts” declare to be this Australian gum ; but others, including 
a dealer who says that before he came to England to live he was 
a dealer in amber in Prussia, where there are considerable quantities 
mined for inland, in addition to that found on the coast of the 
Baltic. He said, “ That’s fat amber ; do you think I don't know ! 
Why, when I came to England, more than 40 years ago, * Amber 
