REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY. 

 By George P. Mbbriix, Head Curator. 



Considered with reference only to the work actually accomplished 

 along lines of investigation, the year ending June 30, 1921, has, with 

 the possible exception of the year immediately preceding, been one 

 unprecedented in the history of the department. 



Accessions. — A marked increase in the number of accessions is 

 shown over those recorded in any one of the past 15 years. The total 

 number listed is 231, a gain of 51 over last year, and of 29 over the 

 recorded number in 1914—15, next highest on the list. Of the acquisi- 

 tions of the present year, 151 were received as gifts, 39 as exchanges, 

 24 as transfers from other departments of the Government, chiefly 

 the Geological Survey, 5 were acquired by purchase, and 5 as deposits 

 or loans. A considerable quantity of the gift and transfer material 

 will, doubtless, on examination prove to be duplicate or undesirable, 

 what proportion it is yet too early to state, but apparently the total 

 value is well up to the average. The additions to the geological, 

 mineralogical, and petrological collections number 1,772 individual 

 specimens and 140 boxes and trays, only a few of which have as yet 

 been unpacked and assorted, but which it is estimated will yield a 

 total of not less than 20,000 specimens, while upward of 50,000 speci- 

 mens have been added to the paleontological collections. 



The largest contributor to the division of geology was as usual 

 the Geological Survey, whence were transferred 131 boxes and 7 

 trays of material, much of it being described sets of rocks and ores. 

 From this source also were received 5 specimens of the platinum- 

 bearing covellite from the Rambler Mine, Wyo. ; the type set of 

 specimens from the R and S molybdeum mine, N. Mex., described 

 by E. S. Larsen and C. S. Ross; and a small collection of carnotite 

 minerals and associated ores from Routt County, Colo., collected 

 and reported on by Hoyt S. Gale. 



Accessions of materials from South America have been especially 

 important. Through the courtesy of the Guggenheim interests, 

 Custodian Frank L. Hess was enabled to add a large series illustra- 

 tive of the Bolivian tin and tungsten ores, and through Messrs L. L. 

 Ellis and Don Stewart, of Oruro, Bolivia, and Prof. Joseph T. 

 SingeAvald, of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, to secure other 

 examples of like nature. From Mr. Tomas A. Le Breton, am- 



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