TWO FRAGMENTS. 
45 
Survey of Ceylon. When Dr. Coomaraswamy’s engagement came 
to an end in 1906, the work was continued by Mr. Parsons, who 
became Principal Mineral Surveyor. 
During the Vedda expedition at the beginning of 1908 Mr. and 
Mrs. Parsons rendered essential service to Dr. C. G. Seligmann and 
Mrs. Seligmann. 
His work in the field kept him during most of the year away from 
the towns, so that he was a stranger to those places where men most 
do congregate. But to his colleagues and friends the news of his 
disappearance spelt consternation, and it remains to this day 
unaccountable and still incredible. 
The short papers presented below were intended by Mr. Parsons 
for publication in this Journal, and were found without any difficulty 
arranged in due order amongst his papers. He has done excellent 
work in the Mineral Gallery at the Colombo Museum. 
Colombo, March 2, 1909. 
A. WILLEY. 
B.—Fluor-spar in OeyBon. 
A FINE specimen of fluorite (fluor-spar) was found at Crystal 
Hill estate near Matale, the same locality as that mentioned 
in the paper on “ The Modes of Occurrence of Quartz in Ceylon ” in 
the last issue of Spolia Zeylanica. The fluorite is inter grown with 
transparent quartz, and the two minerals must have crystallized 
simultaneously, though the quartz shows crystal outlines, while the 
fluorite does not s’ 5w its characteristic cubic form. An inclusion 
of fluorite in the quartz will be noticed in the illustration. The 
octahedral cleavage is, however, well developed, and-renders the 
specimen very frangible. 
Fluorite is found of many colours, that of the blue or violet “ Blue 
John ” in Derbyshire being best known. The Matale fluorite is 
colourless, though on account of iron-staining along the cleavage 
cracks the general appearance of the mineral is reddish. 
The block* was not found actually in situ , and the mode of origin 
is not known. It is, as a rule, a vein mineral. 
Traces of a blue mineral, which was probably fluorite, were found 
in 1903 in charnockite near the Officers’ Bathing Place, Colombo, 
and Dr. Gygax in 1847 recorded it from “ Galle Back.” 
The specimen here described and figured is the first example of 
any size that has been noted in Ceylon. 
II.—Votive Offerings of Weapons.* 
Offerings ex voto are commonly made at Buddhist shrines in 
Ceylon and at the dewales or temples devoted to Sinhalese natural¬ 
ized Hindu worship, as well, probably, as to that of more primitive 
indigenous cults. Indeed, at dewales such offerings form an integral 
portion of the ceremonies so far as the public participates in them. 
* This paper was left in a somewhat unfinished state, and has had to be 
pieced together from notes.— Ed. 
