, 1874-05-16

cI1rratpTuAa. QlQt164ClEY 1A4A Ste~t
other yarlat;es Of nearly pure quartz, or su1ca.
Tha nrecious or nobIo opal il Obtained chenJ
in Huncarv. although fuc specimens are "a, n4so
found in Saxony and South A1nerlca' iney
occur in Hungary disseminated ae', N ra-r NH.
but. il really beautiful, tiny-slzed stone WI
hrinr $40 to SIS in the market. Tho largest
opal At present known ia exhibited IN tho Eupa-
riI cabinet at Vienna It measures ~ tnGneo naa'
by 2h inches, and il valued at more than gov,
D1o. Pliny speaks OF remarkable opa! "nlcn
once belonged to the Roman Senator Nonius.
ira owner chose to 60 into exile 1ather than
weld the gem to Ma1 Antony, Who haa ' set
his covetous eyes upon IT, 1h's opaa Tas ~ - icss
thra a5oo, ,oo6 At the London Worlds Far,
in 1851 there yYaa to be seen, among rare euo
elegant stones. IN opal Weighing 52619 carafs,
or near AZ ounces Troy Weight Ii YVES Ta'uea
at $4,000. ~.
opal 70 watch tie swift and chAneeful piay OF
its tainboW-gleams is 8 constant delight. IL nhs
something OF the ftfnl character ana cnarm o.
the water, and to this element 1t pfooaoly owes
its peculiar loyeinnes. The stone is permeateo
WITH the fluid, and mineraiogists conjecture thas
ita pris1natc lights are produced by renect1nns
OF minute particles Of water contained IN into-
ror cavities or tiesures- When opals have lost
by a2e their pristine warmth OF glow, IL ls oltt
restored by putting them for short hno In OIL
or water.
THO opal has, like flint, n conchoif1al fracture.
and IL very easily broken. For setting, u u
usually Gu. with = convex surface, because OF 1ts
brittleuess, and also because lta nfllan1 Goao.s
are thus best exhibited. There ara several spe-
cies Of semi precious opal, such as the g!raso!'
the cachalong, the prime d'opal tue soml-oPa,
and tho wcod-opaL A variety OF tho Glraso4,
chilled tho fte-opa1, is founi at Llampan, N
Mexico and in. the FARGO Islands. Another
kind, called quartz-resonite, IL brought from
Cnrarnauin aud India This was named aster1a
BY tho ancieuts, and vas greatly priced oy them.
For specimen OF tho girasol, Of extraordinary
br1lliaucv, but not an inch and lalf IN Oame-
ter, the sum Of 5000 has becc refused
ANIMAL DEpREDAr1oss UPON GAME.
In speaking Of the case with which practical
camekeeper will determine what kind Of animal
has committed depredatoDs upon his preserves
in his absence, 1r. Frank Euckland, noted
naturalist of England, Bays: " Every animal has
Ills own way Of killing and eating his prey. The
cat always turns the skin inside out, leaving the
eamo reversed like glove. Tho weasel and
stoat will eat the brain, and nibblo about the
head, and suck the blood. The fox will aiways
leave the legs and hinder parts OF hare OF a
rabbit the dog tears us Prey 70 pfcee, ana ea,1
maspies always peck At Tho eyes before taeg
touch any part OF the bodF."
TILE cAnoD-rnEE.
In the countries surrounding the Medlter-
ranean Sea, there grows spec!es OF the
Seq4minosr, or Pea family. which is remarkable
for its fertility and vaiur. It is called the Carob-
tree. and also St. Johns Bread, from the ancient
tradition that it's fruit was meant by tho
''locusts" On which John tho Baptist fed in the
wilderness. The Carob [Ceratonia Si'tqud) is
near Of kin to our locust tree both belonging TO
the same natura! order. In size and manner OF
growth it resembles the apple-tree, but its leaves
are pinnate and eyargreen. Its fruit is BOWL
4 LAM NoY,fut tfIr dt1T1Y1