108 APPENDIX TO THE EEPORT OF THE SECEETARY. 



about one liuudred and twenty qualitative reports to the Institution on 

 si^eciinens received, identifying nearly three times that number of spe- 

 cimens ; also some fifteen quantitative reports. lie regrets, however, 

 that nearly ninety per cent, of the specimens received by the Institu- 

 tion are entirely worthless, owing to the small size of specimens, and to 

 the partiality of senders to the suli)hide of iron (Pyrite) and to the sul- 

 phide of iron and coi^per (Chaleoi>yrite). This unfortunate fact has 

 prevented the chemist f^om making any considerable addition to the 

 collection, or to the supply of duplicates. The cases in the mineral hall 

 have, however, been refitted and put in order without change in the 

 system followed by Dr. Endlich, and the few valuable specimens that 

 have been received, where space would not permit their exhibition, have 

 been temporarily stored in the drawers under the cases. Among the 

 specimens of value received may be mentioned specimens of amalgam, 

 crude bullion, and fine silver from Montana, received from Mr. Thos. Don- 

 aldson; a small but handsome collection of minerals from Mr. Geo. F. 

 Kunz, of New York ; some fine specimens of native copper, contributed 

 by Dr. lieyuolds; and a large number of specimens of the gold and silver 

 ores of the West, from the surveyors-general of the Western States. Here 

 let me enter a resi^ectful protest against the method of collecting these 

 specimens. I should not say method, however, as my x)rotest is against 

 the apparent want of any method or system whatever. As received the 

 specimens are of every size and shape, from a mere chip to a piece of 

 three inches cube, some labeled or numbered, some not. 1 would sug- 

 gest that each contributor of such specimens be requested to send i)ieces 

 of something like the same size, say 4" x 0" x 2,"; that each specimen 

 be sent in dui^licate, and that in all cases an invoice of specimens be 

 sent both with the letter of transmittal and also inclosed with the spe- 

 cimens. W^e would then have a fair collection of these ores instead of 

 the present supply of chips, many of them broken from the weathered 

 outcrop of the ledge or vein which they are intended to represent. 

 Another collection received has been one of the gold, silver, and copi)er 

 ores of Alaska, from Com. L. A. Beardslee ; a collection of iron, lead, 

 and copper ores of South Africa, from Mr. Geo. D. Sidman. Mr. F. A. 

 Lowe has contributed a fine specimen of Ammikite and one of Huntilite, 

 the two new silver islet minerals, the first containing eighty per cent, of 

 silver, also a small specimen of Macfarlanite. Though the chemist has 

 not as yet completed any sets of dujilicates for distribution, be has sent 

 off several sets that were i)acked by Dr. Endlich, and has under way 

 some fifteen or twenty more sets for that purpose. 



These sets will contain not only minerals, but also a certain number 

 of lithological and geological specimens, the aim being to furnish a set 

 of characteristic minerals and ores for class teaching. Among the ques- 

 tions referred to the Institution by the departments was that of the 

 utility of the Tichnor process for the extraction of gold from its ores, 

 referred by the Patent Office. This investigation was a most tedious 



