corundum, Sri Lanka.12, history.1, gems

David Strachan’s “Some Observations on Coral, Large Oysters, Rubies, the Growing of a Sort of Ficus Indica, the Gods of the Ceylanese, &c.” is a short account of natural-historical and cultural observations made in Ceylon and communicated to the Royal Society. The paper discusses several subjects encountered on the island, including coral, unusually large oysters, rubies, the growth of a type of banyan or Ficus indica, and aspects of Ceylonese religion. Of particular interest to gemologists is Strachan’s contemporary account of rubies and their occurrence in Ceylon, placing gemstone observations alongside other natural products for which the island was noted. Published in the Philosophical Transactions, the paper illustrates the Royal Society’s early practice of collecting first-hand reports from travelers concerning the natural history, resources, and peoples of distant regions.