188 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



extensive accession of European, Asiatic, and African plants, compos- 

 ing the herbarium of the late George Joad, esq., of London, the gift of 

 the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, through Dr. Asa Gray. This col- 

 lection is still in the custody of Dr. Gray, who has kindly assumed the 

 direction of the work of mounting and labeling. Cases have been pre- 

 pared for its reception in the laboratory of the curator of materia medica. 

 The exhibit of living aquatic plants, under charge of Dr. Rudolph 

 Hessel, superintendent of the Government carp ponds, is assuming con- 

 siderable importance. 



XV. Department of Fossil Plants. 



This department is administered by Prof. Lester F. Ward, honorary 

 curator, who, like the curators of fossil invertebrates, is an officer of 

 the Geological Survey. Additional space has been assigned to the 

 laboratory and a large number of storage cases supplied. With the as- 

 sistance of Ensigns E. E. Hayden and 0. C. Marsh, U. S. N., the curator 

 has accomplished much in reducing the Museum specimens to system- 

 atic order. Extensive additions have been made during the summer 

 through the explorations of Professor Ward in the West. 



DIVISION OF GEOLOGY. 



XVI. Department of Mineralogy. 



Since the death of Dr. George W. Hawes, curator of this department, 

 Mr. W. S. Yeates, aid in the Museum, has had charge of the mineral 

 collections, and has nearly completed the task of rearranging and classi- 

 fying the material. Prof. F. W. Clarke, chemist of the TJ. S. Geological 

 Survey, was appointed honorary curator on December 3. An exhibi- 

 tion floor space of 2,000 square feet has been assigned, and show-cases 

 are in process of construction. Mr. Joseph Willcox, of Philadelphia, 

 has deposited his cabinet of North American minerals, and has placed 

 1,000 of the choicest specimens on exhibition. A considerable number 

 of acquisitions have been made during the year. The Abert collection 

 of minerals, for a long time the property of the Museum, has been un- 

 packed and proves to be of great value. During the year, Ensigns H. 

 S. Knapp and O. G. Dodge, TJ. S. K, were appointed, and Ensign Wil- 

 kinson, U. S. N., re-assigned, to this department. 



XVII. Department of Lithology and Physical Geology. 



The collection of building stones, under the charge of Mr. George P. 

 Merrill, assistant, acting as curator, presents each month a more impos- 

 ing appearance in the exhibition gallery. The space assigned to it has 

 been considerably increased during the year. Owing to the expense of 

 preparing the specimens, little has been done towards getting ready for 

 exhibition the great hoard of material which lies at present unutilized 



