222 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



tersly,reRpectiAely, are most iraportaut. All the others are acceptable, 

 and some of them are of cousiderale importance. 



Those which have been received from the United States Geological 

 Survey are of especial interest, as they have served as the basis of cer- 

 tain official reports. 



Those which were received from the Artesian Wells Commission con- 

 tain large additions to the molluscan fauna of the Laramie group, and 

 among them are the types of several new species. 



Department of Minerals. 

 William S. Yeates, Acting Curator. 



The department has had 368 accessions by gift, a few being valuable ; 

 while a large majority were specimens sent in to the department for 

 examination and report, and proved worthless. 



Some very good specimens have been obtained by exchange, notably 

 a fine lot of cancrinite and its associated minerals from Litchfield, Me. 

 Two specimens have been purchased during the year; one a very rare 

 and handsome twin-crystal of calcite, the other an immense beryl. 



The following are some facts with regard to the most interesting speci- 

 mens received during the year 1882 : 



Col. P. W. Norris has contributed a handsome specimen of Egyptian 

 jasper from the Euby Valley, in Montana. 



The twin-crystal of calcite, obtained by purchase, is associated with 

 native cojjper, to which the crystal is fastened ; it is from the Lake 

 Superior copper region ; and since the year 1801 it has been in the 

 possession of a gentleman in Washington, from whom it was purchased. 



The large crystal of beryl, also obtained by purchase, is from the 

 noted locality, Grafton, N. H. It is 2 feet 10 inches long, and 1 foot 

 11^ inches in diameter, and it weighs 1,022 pounds. It is a twin- 

 crystal, aud its faces are remarkably fine, the angles all being perfect. 



From E-ev. C. A. Harvey, of Washington, have been obtained by 

 exchange nine handsome crystals of apatite from Renfrew, Canada 

 These crystals are a valuable addition to our collection of apatite. 



Probably one of the most interesting accessions during the year was 

 a lot of sijeciraecs from the meteoric fall of May 10, 1879, in Emmet 

 County, Iowa. These were the gift of Mr. Charles P. Birge, of Keokuk, 

 Iowa. One of the specimens shows very distinctly the new magnesium 

 iron silicate, Peckhamite, discovered by Dr. J. Lawrence Smith. The 

 s]>ecimen in our possession is the identical one used by Dr. Smith in 

 determining the new mineral. 



Dr. F. M. Endlich, the predecessor of the late Dr. Hawes in the man- 

 agement of this dejjartment, has contributed quite a number of European 

 minerals to tlie collection, some of them being very rare specimens, 



A specimen of malachite and azurite, one of crystallized cuprite, and 

 one of native copper were secured for the department from Mr. F. H. 



