THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 47 
that gold is added at the end of the list. In the Septuagint ver- 
sion, on the other hand, the 12 stones previously mentioned in 
the account of the High Priests’ Breastplate, are all given, in- 
cluding the 9 of the Authorised Version, and with gold and 
silver intercalated in the middle of the list. The three names 
missing from the Authorised Version are the ones forming the 
3rd row in the breastplate, as described in the Book of Exodus, 
and this can be easily explained as an accidental omission on 
the part of the writer who copied the MSS when dealing with 
technical terms with which he was not familiar. 
In the Authorised Version, although the order in which 
the stones are mentioned differs in the breastplate list in Exodus 
and the King of Tyre list in Ezekiel, the two lists are with the 
exception of the omissions noted, and the inclusion of gold 
and silver in Ezekiel, otherwise identical. In the Septuagint 
Version, however, not only do the names agree in the two lists, 
but the order in which they are placed is the same, the only 
difference being the addition of gold and silver to the list in 
Ezekiel. 
Other stones and objects valued for ornamental or useful 
purposes, mentioned in the Bible, may be conveniently dealt 
with here. These comprise alabaster, crystal and rubies, besides 
coral, pearl and ivory, which are of animal origin, and amber, 
a fossil vegetable resin. The alabaster of Theophrastus was a 
variegated marble, which was brought principally from Thebes, 
in Egypt. Pliny states that the sort most valued was honey- 
yellow, covered with curling spots, and was not transparent. 
It is still a custom in Egypt to keep ointments in so-called 
“alabaster” boxes, which are really marble. Herodotus records 
as amongst the presents which were sent to Cambyses the Baby- 
lonian Kang, by the King of Ethiopia, an alabaster box of oint- 
ment. Theocritus mentions “gilt alabasters with Syrian oint- 
ment.” An alabaster of this kind, we learn, was sent to King 
Alfred by Helias, Patriarch of Jerusalem. The best-known al- 
lusion is, of course, the incident of the anointing of Christ by 
Mary, sister of Lazarus, in the house of Simon the Leper. The 
“breaking” of the box, related in Mark 14, 3, refers to the 
breaking of the seal or stopper, for the “box” was a kind of 
urn or jar. At the present day the term alabaster is used for 
a quite different stone, crystallized sulphate of lime or gypsum, 
which is pure white and translucent. For many years alabaster 
was used in pharmacy, while in various parts of England it is 
an old custom amongst country people to surreptitiously chip 
