DIAMOND. 202 DIAMOND NECKLACE. Launay, Lcs diamants du Cap (Paris, 1897) ; iiciiuiHont, U<:poi't on u fjuitrmi/ to Ihe Diamond Fieldx of iliiias (.Icracs (London, 1899) ; Clarc- niont, '•The Cutting and I'olishing of I'lvcious Stones," Tin; JUiiicnil Jndiixlrii, vol. viii. (New York, 1900). For methods of distinyuisliinj; diamonds, oonsult Claremout, "Tlie Identitieation of Gems," The Mineral hidustrii. vol. vii. (Xew York. is;i!i|. SceCKMS: (.'akiion. DIAMOND or DYAMOND. In Spenser's J'acrie Quecne, one of the three sons of Agajw, who is killed bj' Camballo, and who miraeulously btMiui';ith>i his strength to his two brothers. DIAMOND, C'.vi'E. See Cape Ui.vmo.nd. DIAMOND BEETLE. The common name of a South Auierieau wi'ovil (Entimus impcri- ulis), so named because of its brilliant colora- tion. It is an inch or more in length, with a black surface covered with punctures lined with oval .scales that reflect such a brilliant green that the entire elytra appear green instead of black. The color changes with varying reflected light, and is purely oj)tical and not due at all to any pigment. DIAMOND-BIRD (so called from the pecu- liar marks on the plumage). A small insectivo- rous bird of the Australian genus I'ardolotus, of uncertain adinities, but allied to the honey- suckers (q.v.), and by some placed in the Dicieid.T. (See Dic.eum.) The commonest species is the well-known Pardolotus n/ftiiis. '"It would be in vain," says Wheelwright, in Hush ^yander- ings (London, ISCi), "to attempt to do justice . . . to the varied and beautiful plumage of this handsome little bird. The general color is ashy-gray and white, but spotted and spangled all over with red. yellow, orange, and black, and the tail-coverts dark red." It is migratory, fre- quents in summer the open gum forests of south- ern Australia, especially about the honeysuekes and other tree-llowers; has a loud, sweet call- note; and breeds in holes in old logs and some- times in the ground. DIAMOND-CUTTING. Si>e Di.vmond; L.vp- IDAltV WORK. DIAMOND NECKLACE, Tin: Affair of THE. A celebrated siandal involving the royal family of Kraiice in the years preceding the out- break of the French Hevolution. The alTair has remained a puzzling incident in the history of the French Court, in spile of time and a fairly generous literature. The nearest approach to the truth has probably been made l)y Michelet, in the sixteenth volume of his llistoire dc France. The story revolves about a magnificent collar of diamonds which Messrs. Boehmcr and Has- sange, jewelers to the French Court, had bnmght together at vast expense for Madame du Barry, mistress of Louis XV. The King, however, died before the necklace was completed. Toward the ond of 1784 Boelniier and Bassange attempted to induce Marie Antoinette to purchase the neck- lace, through the efforts of an intermediary, a certain Countess Lamotte-Valois. who claimed descent from the house that had once ruled over France, and who enjoyed some influence with Ihe Queen. For some time before this the Cinintess had been acting as the agent in a remarkable intrigue revolving about Cardinal Rohan. Grand .Mmoner of France and Bishop of Slrassburg, who, previous to 1774. had lieen ambassador at Vienna, and had been recalled in disgrace. Hoping to regain power through the favor of the l^uceii, thi,-, good-natured lilierline, generous, vain, and easily imposed upon, fell a victim to the cunning of the Countess, who per- suailed him that Marie Antoinette was inclined to look with favor upon him. A remarkable cor- respondence ensued, in which Uohan's liopes were fed by letters purporting to come from the Queen, but in reality written by the Countess. In July, 17S4, the Cardinal was made to Ixdieve that the Queen had consented to give him a private audience. A woman of the streets, a certain Mile. Oliva, in form and general cast of features remarkably rescinl)ling Marie An- toinette, was hired to impersonate the t^ueen. A brief interview in the park of Versailles at mid- night served to keep up the prelate's ardor, and his gratitude showed itself in substantial favors to the Countess. When Boehmcr and Bassange sought her ser- vices with the Queen, the Countess probably con- ceived the idea of uniting the two cntcri)rises into one prolitable undertaking. In .January, 17S.1, she informed Bassange that the Queen was willing to purchase the colhir. but she made it a condition that the negotiations must be carried on through a third ])erson. Kohan was designated as the one from whom the jewelers were to take their sureties as to |)ayment. The Cardinal, who had Ix'cn ])crsnaded that his services in the matter would in>ure his success with the Queen, a;.'ret>il to pay l.CiOO.OOO livres for the necklace in four in- stallments, beginning with August 1. On .Janu- ary 2',) the jewelers signed a contract of sale, and on the 31st the instrument was returned to them signed 'Marie Antoinette de France.' This is generally brought forward as a proof against the genuineness of the signature, inasiiuich as the Queen was accustomed to sign herself 'Marie Antoinette d'Autriche.' On February 1, at Ver- sailles, in the presence of Rohan, the Countess delivered a casket containing the necklace to Desclaux, an attendant of the Queen, after the smaller stones and jicndants had been removed for the pur|)o>e of securing the money necessary for the payment of the first installment. This is the version given by the Countess in her Memoirs, and is accepted by Michelet. Whether the ac- count be true or false, nothing more was ever seen of the collar as a whole. The failure of Rohan to pay on August 1 led the jewelers to complain to Breteuil, Minister of Police, who, as an enemy of Rohan, rejoiced exceedingly, and informed the (Juccn of the scandalous reports which were being circulated in Paris concerning the Cardinal and herself. The alTair was quickly brought to the notice of the King, upon whom it produced an extremely painful impression. On August 15, Ascension Day, the Cardinal Kohan, in full pontifical robes, was arrested in the midst of the Court, and sent to the Bastille. The Countess was arristcd three days later, and this was followed by the imprisonment of the wonder- working magician Cagliostro (q.v.). who had t)oen Rohan's chief adviser in the afTair. as well as of Lamntte's lover and Mile, Oliva. Tlie Par- lement of Paris was charged with the trial of the case, which, however, was conducted in a half- hearted manner, for it would seem that the King, fearing the odium which a full revehiti<m might bring upon the Quron, prevented, in a large meas- ure, an impartial investigation. On May .'il the
