DIAMOND
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DIATOMS
shadow of the moon or stars. It is to be remembered that the time indicated on the dial is apparent time and not mean solar time as given by our clocks and watches. Diamond, one of the most valuable of the
?recious stones, is a natural form of carbon, n its natural state it often is of a dull-lead color, but when carefully cut has a brilliancy unequaled by any other stone. It is the hardest of all the minerals, and can be distinguished from other gems by this quality. A stone that will scratch a ruby or a sapphire must be a diamond. Diamonds are usually found in the sand and gravel of river-beds. India was for a long time the only country where diamonds were found, and all the great historical stones of the ancients came from that region. In 1727 diamonds were first found in Brazil. A large diamond weighing 254^ carats when found and 125 carats after cutting was picked up by a negress in 1853 in the river Bogagem. It is known as the Star of the South, and was sold to the Gaikwar of Baroda for $400,000. In 1867 diamonds were found in South Africa, not only in the river gravels but in the rocks. The principal South African diamond-mine is at Kimberley, which produced in 1905 diamonds valued at £6,-75^5673 (over $33,000,000). There are more large stones found in the mines of South Africa than in India or Brazil. In 1897 the Jubilee diamond of 972 carats uncut was found at Kimberley. In 1905 the Cullinan diamond, an uncut stone of 3,024! carats, or 1.37 pounds was found in Transvaal. It is larger than a man's fist, is part of a stone estimated to have weighed nearly 6,000 carats and is approximately valued at $2,500,000. The Transvaal purchased it and gave it to King Edward VII. Diamonds are also found in Australia, in the Ural Mountains, and in several of the United States. In 1906 a diamond-field was discovered in Arkansas. The largest diamond ever found in North America came from Manchester, Va. Artificial diamonds have been made but cost many times more than the natural diamond. Among historical diamonds are the Koh-i-nur, the Great Mogul, the Orloff, the Regent and the Hope diamond. The Koh-i-nur, meaning mountain of light, dates back to 1304. When it belonged to Aurungzebe, it was used as one of the eyes of the peacock which adorned his famous peacock-throne. When the British obtained possession of Lahore, the diamond was presented to the queen of England. The Orloff weighs 193 carats, and is mounted in the scepter of the czar of Russia. The Regent is preserved among the national jewels of France. The Hope, a sapphire-blue brilliant, is one of the most finely colored diamonds known, and is worth $150,000. See Streamer's Great Dia-
monds of the World and Precious Stones and Gems.
Diana (di-an'd), a Roman goddess, known as Artemis among the Greeks. She was the
DIANA
twin-sister of Apollo, and was goddess of the moon, the nocks and the chase. She is represented as a young and handsome hunter, carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows and followed by dogs or stags. As goddess of the moon she is clothed in a long robe, her head covered by a veil and a crescent moon above her brow. The most famous statue of her is the Diana of Versailles, found in Hadrian's villa near Tivoli, now preserved in the Louvre. Diana of the Ephesians, mentioned in the New Testament, was an Asiatic goddess entirely distinct from the Roman Diana. Diana, Temple of* See EPHESUS. Di'atoms. A group of peculiar plants which are sometimes incluaed among the algae, and sometimes regarded as a group of thallophytes distinct both from algas and fungi. They are one-celled, and occur in great abundance in both fresh and salt waters. They are free-swimming or attached by stalks; solitary or in chains. In form they are straight or curved, shaped like rods, boats or wedges. Their chief peculiarity is that the wall is ia two halves which fit into one another like the two parts of a pillbox. The wall also is full of silica, and is practically indestructible.. Diatoms occur in such vast numbets
A DIATOM FROM TWO POINTS OP .VIEW
