The most valuable kinds of bloodstone are imported from the East. They are not so opaque as those which are found in Germany, and are marked with more vivid spots. As bloodstone is capable of a high polish, and is even better calculated for engraving upon than carnelian (93), it is in great request for seal stones, for the tops and bottoms of snuff─boxes, and other articles on which costly gold mountings are frequently bestowed. Its dark colour and opaque appearance prevent its being much used for beads. Great quantities of it are consumed in China as ornaments to the girdle clasps of the superior ranks of people. Absurd as it may appear, many persons entertain a notion that this stone worn in the dress will prevent bleeding at the nose. Good bloodstone and carnelian are considered to be about the same value. There are many cameos and intaglios, both by ancients and moderns, executed in bloodstone. In the National Library at Paris, there is a fine engraved stone of this kind, representing the head of Christ whilst undergoing the punishment of scourging, and so cut that the red spots are made to represent drops of blood. The ancients procured bloodstones chiefly from Ethiopia; but, at present, the most highly esteemed varieties are brought from Bucharia, Great Tartary, and Siberia. A kind of mineral nearly resembling this is found in Rum, one of the western isles of Scotland. The spots in bloodstone are particles of red jasper. 96. _JASPER is a species of quartz, and one of the hardest stones with which we are acquainted. It varies much in colour, being red, green, yellow, blue, olive, violet, black, and often variegated, spotted, or veined with several other colours. It is usually opaque, but is capable of receiving a beautiful polish._ _This stone is found in large and shapeless masses, and constitutes an ingredient in mountains of various parts of the world._ Such is the hardness of jasper, that the savages of Canada avail themselves of it for the fabrication of the heads of javelins, and sometimes also of arrows. It is used by artists for the formation of vases, snuff─boxes, seals, and trinkets of various kinds; and formerly cups and saucers were sometimes made of it. Many beautiful antique engravings have been made upon jasper. In the province of Andalusia, in Spain, there are four fine quarries of jasper. One of these is celebrated for a blood─red stone, streaked with white, exceedingly hard and very handsome, of which the beautiful columns of the tabernacle in the Escurial are made. This quarry is in the territory of Cogullus, in the archbishopric of Seville, and was purchased by the Crown in 1581; but was afterwards so far neglected that even the place where it lay was not remembered. It was, however, again discovered about the end of the reign of Charles the Third, after a very expensive search made by order of the government.