NOTES 217 



The Nobel prize in chemistry for 1901 was awarded to Prof. J. 

 H. van't Hoff, of the University of BerUn, for the discovery of the 

 laws of dynamic chemistry and of osmic pressure in solutions. The 

 prize in chemistry for 1902 was awarded to Prof. E. Fischer, of the 

 University of Berlin, for his synthetic researches in the groups of 

 sugars and of purines. 



Geological Collecting Expedition 



Dr. George P. Merrill, Head Curator of the Department of 

 Geology of the National Museum, left Washington on August i6th 

 and returned October 2d, going first to Ishpeming, Michigan ; 

 thence to Portland, Oregon, from which point he proceeded in turn 

 to San Francisco, Ogden, Salt Lake, Pocatello, Laramie, and Den- 

 ver. Field excursions for the purpose of obtaining collections were 

 made in the Bad-lands of North Dakota, the Lower Madison val- 

 ley of Montana, and near the town of Opal in southwestern Wyom- 

 ing. 



At Ishpeming was obtained a large and exceptionally fine series 

 of the remarkable contorted and brecciated hematite jaspers, such 

 as have been described by Dr. C. R. Van Hise in volume xxviii 

 of the Alonographs of the United States Geological Survey. From 

 the Quaternary blufifs on the Lower Madison river, in Montana, 

 was obtained a large series of the beautiful wood opal for which 

 this locality is noted, and from southwestern Wyoming an extensive 

 series of the peculiar hot-spring deposits in the form of cylindrical 

 trunk-like masses, lined with quartz, agate, and calcite. 



Through the generosity of Messrs. J. R. Wharton and A. P. 

 Pohndorf, of Butte, Montana, there were obtained some fine ex- 

 amples (the largest 24 inches in length) of the smoky quartzes found 

 in the Little Pipestone district, Silver Bow county. In San Fran- 

 cisco there was procured a magnificent milky quartz, measuring about 

 30 by 18 inches and weighing 309 pounds. In size and crystalline 

 development this is believed to be one of the finest specimens of the 

 kind in the United States. (See plate lvi.) 



From dealers in San Francisco, Denver, Manitou, and Deadwood 

 was obtained much miscellaneous material, the more important being 

 a large mass of Wyoming moss agate, weighing 536 pounds. 

 Through the courtesy of Messrs. Robert Forrester and W. B. Put- 

 nam, there were obtained small but exceptionally fine series of cave 

 aragonites from silver mines in Utah. 



The trip, on the whole, was highly profitable, material being ob- 

 tained which probably could never have been brought to the Museum 



