The same statement may safely be made with regard to 

 the Shepard collection of phosphates. These were princi- 

 pally gathered by Dr. Shepard in a tour through Europe, 

 visiting all the important localities. Those from the West 

 Indies and the Pacific Islands were obtained by him from 

 others. The object was to bring together as complete an 

 illustration as possible of all the forms in which phosphate 

 of lime occurs abroad, for comparison with those of our own 

 country, and particularly of this State. Dr. Shepard de- 

 scribed these foreign localities in a Lecture given in Charles- 

 ton, in 1879, a copy of which, now quite rare, is with the 

 collection, and serves as a most valuable guide. 



The specimens number about 209, representing the phos- 

 phate mines of Estremadura in Spain, of the Department of 

 Lot, in France, of Hanover and other districts of Germany, 

 and of a wide region between the Dnieper and the Volga in 

 Russia ; also the apatite and some rare minerals associated 

 with it in Norv/ay. The guano and related products of 

 several islands of the West Indies and the Pacific, are also 

 included and numerous examples of these and other phos- 

 phates as commercially prepared are shown in bottles. 



In the department of geology there is enough material to 

 furnish a good representation of the several branches in- 

 cluded in that comprehensive science ; but much is needed 

 in the way of arrangement of Vv^hat is already on hand, and 

 much additional material in some of the branches is highly 

 desirable for anything like full illustration. A comprehen- 

 sive geological exhibit comprises four divisions in particu- 

 lar : these are (1) lithology— the different kinds and varie- 

 ties of rocks — a branch closely akin to mineralogy, but 

 distinct therefrom ; (2) structural geology, the forms 

 assumed and the structures developed in and by rocks of 

 different kinds and under varying conditions ; (3) economic 

 geology, the materials employed in the useful and orna- 

 mental arts, as occurring in nature and sought and develop- 



42 



