MINERALOGY. 



151 



severed from the main stone. It may 

 be that, in the course of an eruption, 

 the diamonds have been thrown out. But 

 they might just as well still rest in the 

 vulcan pit and the chances are that 

 this successful and famous mining 

 company will succeed in locating 

 them." " 



Sir William Crookes, the famous 

 English scientist, who wrote an article 

 about the origin of diamonds, is also 

 of the opinion that the Cullinan is only 

 the smaller part of an octahedron split 

 by crystal cleaving. He predicts that 

 the Premier Diamond Company may 

 succeed in locating also the larger part 

 of this oiant diamond. 



The Arrangement of Specimens. 



BY HOWARD R. GOODWIN, PHILADELPHIA, 

 PENNSYLVANIA. 



After the article on the passing of 

 the drawer cabinet by Charles H. Pen- 

 nypacker, in the May number of The 

 Guide to Nature, it may not be amiss 

 to say a few w r ords in reference to the 

 matter of effective grouping of speci- 

 mens. I have seen several collections 

 of minerals containing fine specimens 

 which lost much of their attractive- 

 ness on account of poor arrangement, 

 overcrowding, etc. A shelf filled with 

 quartz crystals will present a dazzling 

 appearance but much of the detail is 

 lost in the general white effect, 

 whereas crystals and groups of quartz 

 crystals scattered through the case will 

 brighten up the wdiole collection. 



In arransino- a shelf of minerals the 

 best results are obtained by placing in 

 the center the largest and most showy 

 specimens and grouping the others 

 about it without crowding, placing the 

 smaller ones in the foreground. 



In my cabinet is a shelf arranged as 

 follows : a large specimen of purple 

 fluorite for center, flanked on either 



side by yellow calcite crystals ; in 

 front of the fluorite is a cluster of 

 transparent quartz crystals ; these 

 stand out in bold relief against the 

 background of deep purple. Smaller 

 specimens carefully placed as regards 

 color contrasts complete the group ; 

 calcites of pink, yellow or red tints 

 contrasting beautifully with green 

 fluorite, amazon stone, malachite, wil- 

 liamsite, prehnite and beryl. Sulphur 

 crystals side by side with brilliant 

 blue, quartz coated chrysocolla, while 

 a group of milk white quartz crystals 

 is relieved by a cluster of jet black 

 smoky quartz. 



It is not necessary to have all crys- 

 tallized specimens, as many massive 

 minerals are very rich in color, and 

 many ores are bright and showy, the 

 iridescence of turgite, chalcopyrite 

 and bornite ; the glittering iron pyrite, 

 galena and hematite all help to pro- 

 duce a pleasing effect. All this is not 

 scientific, but it has been my experi- 

 ence that most collectors are lovers of 

 the beautiful in nature and seek to pre- 

 serve such specimens as they may be 

 able to secure, not so much for the 

 purpose of deep study as a means of 

 recreation and decoration of the home. 



A small cabinet of well chosen speci- 

 mens judiciously arranged will give 

 pleasure to any one with ordinary in- 

 telligence, while to any one of an ar- 

 tistic temperament it is a never ending 

 source of enjoyment. 



I enclose check for renewal sub- 

 scription to The Guide to Nature. I 

 could not be without it. — Professor 

 George Park Singer. 



I must say The Guide to Nature 

 is making good as the best all around 

 nature magazine that I have ever seen 

 — past or present. — Chas. D. Pendell. 



