254 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



At times supposed new species are named and described on 

 the strength of a blow-pipe examination, an analysis evidently 

 being deemed unnecessary. Needless to say this practice is 

 objectionable and it only helps to make confusion where elucid- 

 ation is desired, creating species out of varieties and mixtures. 

 The method of keeping mineral records is extremely unsatisfac- 

 tory, if indeed there is any general system in existence. A 

 proper system can only be carried out by the co-operation of the 

 Geological Survey with the various Schools of Mines and 

 Museums, which are the main channels through which mineral 

 specimens pass. 



The keeping of a complete record of mineral occurrences 

 should form part of the diflei'ent officials' duties and who should 

 from time to time forward their information for registration at 

 headquarters. If this were properly done and full and reliable 

 particulars gi^"en, it would not only prove of scientific interest 

 but would form a valuable record from an economic point of 

 view. To Messrs. D. Clark and F. Stone my thanks are due for 

 the trouble they have taken in providing me with lists of the 

 various occurrences which have come under their notice, and also 

 to Mr. T. S. Hart for preparing a list of the specimens in the 

 Ballarat School of Mines Museum. 



Abbreviations. 



B.M. — Specimens in the School of Mines Museum, Ballarat. 

 M.Dt. — Determinations made in the Mines Department Labora- 

 tory and not recorded in the Annual Reports. 

 CI. — Determinations made by Mr. D. Clark. 

 U. — Information received from Professor G. H. F. Ulrich. 

 B. — Information received from Mr. O. R. Rule. 

 W. — Determinations made by the writer. 

 F.— N. Flight. Philos. Trans. Royal Soc, 1882, pp. 887- 



894. 

 C. — Prof. E. Cohen. Sitz. K. Preuss, Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 



1897. 

 * — Specimens in the National Museum Collection. 

 S — Minerals recorded for the first time. 



