588 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1900. 



of the rolloction, thiouoh oift or j)urchuso, was steady, though slow. 

 In ISUi the luiisouiii purchased, for exhibition at the World's Colum- 

 bian Exposition at Chicago, the greater part of a collection of gems 

 belonging to the estate of Dr. Joseph Leidy, of Philadelphia, and 

 which was incorporated with the museum collections proper at the 

 close of the exposition. In 1894 it became the possessor, under the 

 provisions of the will of Mrs. Francis Lea Chamberlain, of a valuable 

 collection of 1,316 gems formerly belonging to her father. Dr. Isaac 

 Lea, of Philadelphia. This collection, known as the "' Isaac Lea Col- 

 lection of Gems," has, since that time, been steadily increased by con- 

 tributions from Dr. L. T. Chamberlain. A notable accession of gems 

 and gem minerals, chiefly from the United States, was received from 

 Dr. Chamberlain in 1896. This, added to the original "Lea Collec- 

 tion,'' made it so large that it was decided to incorporate with it all of 

 the gem material belonging to the musemii, distinguishing those speci- 

 mens obtained b}' gift or deposit, other than the Lea material, by a 

 special label. In 189T Dr. Chamberlain was appointed honorary cus- 

 todian of the collection, and largely through his efforts the collection 

 now contains a fine series of gems native to the United States, includ- 

 ing nearly ever}' variety and representing the majority of the gem 

 localities. 



In the catalogue is given the name, locality, description, and cata- 

 logue numbers of each specimen, and, when donated or deposited, 

 .the name of the parties from whom it was received. As all the stones 

 were weighed in grams, the weights are given in carats and decimals 

 of carats, instead of the more cumbersome fractions. The carat is 

 equal to 0.205 gram; its fractions are known as fourths, eighths, six- 

 teenths, thirty-seconds, and sixt3'-fourths. 



CATALOGUE. 



Adularla, see Orthodase. 



Agalmatolite. China. A small greenish-gray snuff bottle. Cat. Nos. b-899; 83553. 



Af/almatolitc. China. A carving representing a bird and a tree. Cat. Nos. l>-900; 



51515. 

 Agalmatolite. China. A carving representing a group of five baboons. Cat. Nos. 



b-902; 51515. 

 A(j(dm<itoHti'. China. Two carved images. Cat. Nos. b-903, 904; 81808. 

 Afjuhmilullt,'. China. Two carvings. Cat. Nos. b-905, 906; 8423(>. 

 Affahnatolile. Japan. A carved platter brought to Holland by Dutdi merchants 



early in the seventeenth century. Cat. Nos. b-907; 46057. Deposited by G. 



Browne Goode. 

 Agate, see Quartz. 

 Agatlzed irood, see Quartz. 

 Alhite, var. moonstone. A meliaCourt-House, Virginia. Colorless. Double cabochon 



c-ut; 18 by 14 by 10 mm. Cat. Nos. c-285; 50329. 

 Alhite, var. moonstone. Amelia Court-House, Virginia. Colorless. Cabochon cut, 



elliptit;al girdle. Four stones varying in size from 10 by 8 by 4 nun. to 16 by 11 



by 5.5 mm. Cat. Nos. c-286-9; 47846. 



