THE AUSTRALIAN NaTURALIS1. 49 
likened to that of amber. In the time of Pliny amber ranked 
as a valuable ornamental objeet. 
Coral is twice mentioned in the Authorised Version, as a 
translation of the Hebrew word rdméth, Job. 28, 18 and Ezekiel 
27, 16, at both places being referred to as an article of value. 
The literal meaning of the Hebrew word is—“that which grows 
tall or tree-like,” and the object referred to was without, doubt 
the precious Red Coral (Corallium rubrum) of the Red Sea, the 
Gulf of Persia and the Mediterranean. 
Pearls are spoken of in Job 28, 18, in the same sense as 
coral. In the Revised Version the Hebrew word “gabish”? in 
Job is translated “crystal” instead of pearl. The Greek term 
“margarites” is correctly translated “pearl” in the New Testa- 
ment. ‘This is confirmed by Theophrastus, who speaks of “mar- 
garites’”’ as a precious stone, but not pellucid, brought from 
India and the shores of the Red Sea, where it is produced in a 
kind of oyster and in the shell named Pinna. 
The New Testament references are of course familiar to 
all of us: the pearl of great price, Matt. 13, 46; pearls before 
swine, Matt. 7, 6; pearls of costly array, 1 Tim. 2, 9, and the 
pearly gates of the New Jerusalem—Rey. 21, 21. 
The names of a few stones with which I have not dealt, 
are doubtful; thus the Hebrew word “peninim” which oceurs in 
Job 28, 18; Proverbs 3, 15; 8, 11; 20, 15; 31, 10, and Lamen- 
tations 4, 7, is in the Authorised Version translated . “rubies,” 
while the Revised Version gives an alternative reading, as 
“coral,” but the Septuagint makes it “precious stones.” 
A good deal of confusion seems to have erept into the inter- 
pretation of the significance of the Hebrew word “beddlah,” 
which occurs twice in the Old Testament, where it is rendered 
“pdellium.” Gen. 2, 12,—“The gold of that land is good: there 
is bdellium.and the onyx stone’; and Numb. 11, 7, “and the 
manna was as eariander seed, and the colour thereof as the 
colour of bdellium.” Some authorities have considered that the 
term meant “an excellent, selected pearl,” others that it refers 
to the beryl. From a careful review of the evidence, I think 
there can be no doubt that it refers to a fragrant gum resem- 
bling myrrh, which was probably used in the ceremonial ser- 
vices as incense. This is the meaning given by both Pliny and 
Dioscorides, who attach the name to the plant from which the 
gum. was derived. 
The Hebrew word “Kadk6d” occurs twice in the Old Testa- 
ment, where it has been given the same meaning as the word 
