blood,"
which is a pure deep, rich red, without any admixture of blue, or
yellow. According to Pliny the Ethiopians had a way of increasing the
splendour of Rubies by laying them for fourteen days in vinegar, which
increased.their lustre for a time, but made them afterwards softer, and
more brittle. The rare occurrence of specimens of the desired vivid "
pigeon's blood " red colour, when of any size, causes their value to
increase in a proportion even greater than that of the Diamond. A Ruby
of one carat weight is worth from fourteen to twenty pounds sterling.
Mr. Streeter asserts that a Ruby of perfect colour, and weighing five
carats, is worth at the present day ten times as much as a Diamond of
equal weight; one of four carats weight is worth from four hundred to
four hundred and fifty pounds. The magical properties formerly ascribed
to Rubies were that they made amulets against poison, plague, evil
thoughts, and wicked spirits, keeping the wearer in health, and
cheering his mind. If he, or the stone's donor, were in danger, it
would become black, or obscure, and would not resume its pristine
colour until the peril had passed away. All, or nearly all, the fine
Rubies which are met-with in collections are believed to have come from
Burmah ; the Ruby mines of which district have been long known, but the
stones found there are almost always small, and seldom free from
defects. One of the King of Burmah's titles is " Lord of the Rubies."
When a particularly large, and fine stone is found, the usual custom is
to send out a procession of grandees, with soldiers, and elephants, to
meet it. The Ruby (or, Red Sapphire) is susceptible of electricity by
friction, and retains it for a considerable time.
