REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM. 223 



Smith, of Washington, by Dr. F. W. Taylor, the chemist of the Museum. 

 The sp3cimens, which are quite handsome, are from the Longfellow 

 mine in Arizona. 



Department of Metallurgy. 



Frederick P. Uewey, Curator. 



In 1883 there were 56 accessions by gift to the department, but none 

 by exchange or purchase. Upon a trip to Colorado, where I was sent 

 by the Smithsonian Institution, I collected 42 specimens of the ores and 

 metallurgical products of that State, which are very interesting and 

 valuable. I have also collected a suite of characteristic specimens of 

 iron ores from Virginia. The only other department of the Government 

 that has contributed to this department is the General Laud Office, 

 which has sent 297 specimens by the surveyor-general of Montana, and 

 101 specimens by the surveyor-general of Arizona. There have been 

 no specimens left upon deposit. 



The accessions worthy of special mention in the order of their receipt 

 are two large pieces of ferruginous cerargerite (chloride of silver) from 

 the Lake Valley, Dona Aiia County, New Mexico, presented by Prof. 

 B. Silliman, representing ores from a region which is attracting a great 

 deal of attention on account of the peculiarities of its formation and the 

 richness of its ores, besides which the specimens contain a considerable 

 amount of silver. A suite ot 12 specimens of cinnabar (sulphide of mer- 

 cury) and sulphur, with their associates, from Sulphur Bank, California, 

 presented by Prof. Jos. Lecoute, are especially interesting, as represent- 

 ing some of the phenomena connected with the deposition of a metal- 

 liferous vein which is forming at the present time, an occurrence which 

 is not going on at any other locality with sufficient rapidity to have been 

 observed as yet. A collection of ores and metallurgical products rep- 

 resenting the resources of the Territory of Dakota, presented by the com- 

 mission seeking the admission of Dakota into the Union as a State, one 

 specimen of gold ore being especially interesting, and valued at $100. 

 Among the specimens collected by myself in Colorado should be es{)e- 

 cially mentioned a solid lump of cerargerite (chloride of silver), from the 

 Robert E. Lee mine, Leadville, Colo., containing $100 worth of silver; 

 also two specimens of embolite (chloro-bromide of silver), in chert, from 

 the same mine, all presented by the superintendent of the mine. Captain 

 Jackson ; and finally a suite of specimens representing the course of the 

 Ziervogel process for the extraction of silver from cuijreous ores as 

 practiced in Colorado. 



Departincnt of Bods and Building Stones. 

 George P. Merrill, Acting Curator. 



Accessions. — The number of specimens of rocks presented to the de- 

 partment during the year is 1 17 ; the number obtained by i)urchase, 40j 



