48 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1900, 



The duplicate series desig'ned to show the origin of soils through 

 rock weathering and for distribution to schools and colleges, to Avhich 

 reference was made in my last report, has been practically completed, 

 so far as gathering the materials is concerned; the work of labeling, 

 wrapping, and properly describing remains 3'^et to be done. In addi- 

 tion to this, some 2,000 duplicates have been weeded out from the 

 collections of the Division of Geology alone, wrapped and labeled, 

 and sent to the storage sheds, according to our usual custom. Mr, 

 Schuchert reports that he has now in storage unassorted duplicate 

 materials aggregating manj^ thousands of specimens. 



With the reorganization of 1897, the plans for a Division of Tech- 

 nology were sufficiently fornuilated to enable me to turn over a large 

 amount of manufactured material and special exhibits, which had long 

 been recognized as not belonging properly to the Department of 

 Geology, but which were allowed to remain there simply that they 

 might be cared for. The space thus gained in storage and exhibition 

 rooms has been of material value to the department. 



The constant intrusion of new materials in our exhibition series, 

 together with the shifting of collections made possible by the acquisi- 

 tion of new cases on the galleries, has brought prominently forward the 

 question of labels, with particular reference to color, board, and char- 

 acter of type. It need scarcely be said that the first necessity of a 

 label is legibility. Brevity and conciseness of statement are also 

 important considerations. The head curator's experience has led him 

 to 'doubt the advisability of long explanatory labels for individual 

 specimens, excepting, it ma}^ be, in the case of large and striking 

 objects. The name of the object in type sufficiently large and clear to 

 catch the eye, and a few explanatory lines in smaller type, regarding 

 source, etc, , are considered the chief essentials. After many trials the 

 form given here, printed on a gray board, which experience has shown 

 to be little affected by exposure, has been adopted in the sections of 

 Geology, Invertebrate Paleontology, and Paleobotany: — 



DIAMONDS.— Cape Bort. 



KIMBERLV MINES, SOUTH AFRICA. 53,671. 



Diamonds of this size and quality are used in making 

 engravers' points and bnrnisliing tools for Avatcli and 

 pencil case makers. Four pieces ; -vveiglit, three- 

 eighths karats each. 



GALENA.— Sulphide of lead, A clus- 

 ter of crystals showing: both cubic and 

 octahedral faces. 



JOPLIN MINE, .TOPL,I]V, MISSOURI. 17,590. 



Gift of Davis and Mnrpliy. 



