REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 



lection. As each specimen was returned to its place it was marktd, so 

 that it can be identified at any time as apart of the Chicago exhibit. 



The collection of lo-inch cubes of building stones of the State, made 

 for the Chicago exhibit, was placed in the entrance hall and arranged 

 according to geological sequence — the limestones and marbles occupy- 

 ing the east side, while the sandstones and eruptive rocks are on the 

 west. To make this a more representative exhibit, a number of irregu- 

 larly shaped blocks of the State's formations have been added ; also a 

 few blocks of the more important building material from other States, 



The next two months were spent on the minerals. The general col- 

 lection was in need of revision and rearrangement, and on the third floor 

 the Beck collection of minerals of the State occupied more space than 

 the over-crowded condition of the Museum warranted allowing to a col- 

 lection of so little interest to the general pubhc. So by drawing upon 

 both of these collections, and upon the stored material, a systematic col- 

 lection has been arranged, labeled, and set up to the best advantage 

 possible in the small space allotted to this department. The aim has 

 been to give the best exhibit possible with the means at hand — though 

 other things being equal, preference has been given to material from this 

 State. The remainder of the Beck collection has been stored in drawers 

 on the second floor and will be preserved intact, while the duplicate 

 material, which is open for exchange, is in the basement. 



The general collection at present comprises 328 mineral species, repre- 

 sented by 2,786 specimens. These figures do not include the hydrosili- 

 cates from Bergen Hill, the New York city, and Westchester county 

 collections, nor the case of gems and semi-precious stones. 



The meteoric material, which was partly stored in various parts of the 

 building, has been placed in the mineralogical department. The collec- 

 tion consists of 4 aerolites, 18 aerosiderites, and a cast of the Cabin 

 Creek, Arkansas, aerolite. 



A small collection of combustible minerals occupies the last case in 

 this department. 



The Rosenbusch collection of massive rocks has been brought from 

 its place of storage and is arranged along the west wall on the second 

 floor. It is a wonderful exhibition of the gradations and variations of 

 rocks, and is of great interest to teachers visiting the Museum with their 

 classes. 



The space made available by the removal of tfce Beck collection from 

 the third floor has been utilized to receive the Chicago exhibit of the 

 petroleum industry of the State which occupies one case, as does the 

 exhibit of the salt industry. 



