REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY 

 FOR THE YEAR 1898-99. 



By George P. Merrili,, 

 Head Curator. 



Although the j^ear just closed compares favorably with its predeces- 

 sors, so far as relates to the acquisition of materials, it has not been 

 possible to advance the work of installation to the extent hoped for in 

 the beginning. 



ORGANIZATION. 



The department as now organized consists of the following divi- 

 sions: (1) Physical and Chemical Geology (Systematic and Applied), 

 (2) Mineralogy, and (3) Stratigraphic Paleontology, including the sec- 

 tions of Vertebrate Fossils, Invertebrate Fossils, and Paleobotany. 



ACCESSIONS. 



In the order given, the number of accessions is as follows: 



Divisions. 



Geology 



Mineralogy 



Vertebrate Paleontology.. 

 Invertebrate Paleontology 

 Paleobotany 



Total 



Regular. 



147 

 41 

 27 

 82 

 37 



Tem- 

 porary. 



132 



75 

 5 

 17 



Total. 



1898-99. 1897-98- 



279 

 116 



141 

 166 



In the Division of Geology a very considerable amount of the 

 material received is in itself of slight commercial value. It consists 

 in large part of specimens designed to show the mineral resources 

 of the United States or to fill existing gaps in the systematic series of 

 economic products. Especial mention should, perhaps, be made of a 

 small collection of monazite sands from Brazil; asbestos from Italy; 

 silver-lead-antimony ore from Zancudo mines in Colombia, South 

 America; a large and miscellaneous assortment of ores and economic 

 products from the Central and Western States, received from the 

 Omaha International Exposition; three fine slabs of onyx marble from 

 Colorado, and a series of 11) specimens of polished spheres of Japanese 

 breccia, the gift of the late Prof. O. C. Marsh. 



In the Section of Systematic Geology mention should be n kIc of a 



37 



