REPORT OF ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. 67 



block of jihicial polished juarhle, a gilt of the GouveiUiMir Maihlo Com- 

 pany. 



The total number of specimens in the n'serve series is estimated at 

 15,000, of which some 3,000 are ou exhibition. Of these 4,1*40 are 

 buildinj; or ornamental stones, l,Go8 of which are on exhibition. The 

 number of specimens in the duplicate series is about 3,000. 



((') Depart miiif of MCtdUunnj und Kciuunnic (rcolotj!/. 



An immense amount of work has been performed in this dei>arrment 

 durinjn" the year. Tiie curator, Mr. Fred. V. Dewey, divides the mate- 

 rial administered upon and collected during' the year into four classes: 

 (1) those received as accessions in the usual way; (2) those received 

 from the j)ermanent exhibition in l*hila<lelphia; (3) those received from 

 the Boston Exhibition, and (4) the material specially collected for dis- 

 ])lay at the New Orleans Exposition. The collections embraced under 

 the last head were very numerous and valuable. A series of 87 speci- 

 mens, representing the occurrence of i)lacer gold at most of the promi- 

 nent regions, was purchased, and is the most full and comi)lete collec- 

 tion of its kind in the country. The early part of the year was devoted 

 t() administration upon great quautities of nuiterial which had been 

 accumulating for many years, and was stored away in the southwest 

 court. From this source alone 7,540 new specimens were added to the 

 collections of the department. Not less than 0,500 si)ecimens have 

 been i)laced on exhibition, and the total number of specimens in the 

 dei)artment is estimated at 40,000. 



Since July, Mr. Dewey and his staff have been preparing the New 

 Orleans collection, having an allotment of $5,000 wherewith to illus- 

 trate the metallic resources of the country, and by the aid of a number 

 of volunteer assistants in the field the collection has received accessions 

 of very great value, which make it one of the most valuable metallur- 

 gical collections in ttte world. 



The organization of the collections in economic geology has con- 

 sumed a great deal of time. The curator reports that in the develop- 

 ment of this branch of the dei)artment a serious obstacle is presented 

 by the unwillingness on the part of mine owners to impart such inibr- 

 niation as is necessary in order that the specimens shall attain their 

 highest value in an (Mluciitional series. 



Mr. Thomas Donaldson has continued the work of cataloguing and 

 packing the collection of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, 

 which, having been presented to the Museum, are still in Philadel]»hia 

 under his charge. 



21. MISCELLANEOUS DEPARTMENTS. 



(a) Exploration and field toorJc. 



As in ])revious years the work of ex])loration and investigations in 

 the tield has been under the immediate auspices of tlie Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, and under the si)ecial care and direction of the Secretary, who 



