THE MUSEUM. 



27 



A rich play of colors and f:;reat va- 

 riety of markings is brought out in the 

 Opals, forms of Chalcedony, Agates, 

 Onyx and Sardonyx. The Chalcedon- 

 ized woods, of various kinds, showed 

 growth lines of differing degrees of 

 fineness, and even the pores of the 

 wood, through which the sap once 

 fl nved, are to bt plainly seen. The 

 Ribbon Agates are streaked with zones 

 of parti-colored tints, and the Fortifi- 

 cation variety has these color belts 

 broken up and arranged in angular 

 outlines bearing a resemblance to ver- 

 itable works of defense. These many- 

 colored bands show us how the differ- 

 ent material was deposited by the wat- 

 er that originally held it in solution. 

 This feature is also strikingly illustrat- 

 ed in the sections of stalagmitic mater- 

 ial known as Giberaltar Stone. Every 

 drop of water, as it reached the cavern 

 floor, from the pendant stalactite 

 above, left its moiety of lime or silica, 

 and thus grain by grain, particle by 

 particle, through long ages, the pro- 

 cess went on, until the skilled lapidist 

 saws the mass into slices; polishes it 

 and lo! What beauty is brought out. 



There were minerals of all colors — 

 red Jasper aud crimson Garnets, green 

 Malachite and Jade and Jet with its 

 perfect blackness; and yet so smooth 

 polished that one could use it for a 

 mirror; also Meteorites and ores whose 

 value per ounce was named in dollars. 



My conchological curiosity was ev- 

 cited by the skill displayed in cutting 

 shells in twain vertically. The axis of 

 the shell was so perfectly followed that 

 the internal structure was beautifully 

 shown — a great disideratum in a col- 

 lection of shells. The same feature is 

 shown in the sections of fossil Am- 

 monites. 



During our visit Mr. Buxton was 

 working on some specimens of that 

 scientific puzzle known as "Cone-in- 

 cone," of which he had recently col- 

 lected a large supply. They are cer- 

 tainly strange things — curious forma- 

 tions. To what kingdom do they be- 

 long.' We ventured a few suggestions 



upon this subject and Mr. Buxton's 

 lingual member flew faster than his 

 saws and polishing laps, if possible, in 

 defense of Iiis theory, which was that 

 they had once been Barnacles. It 

 would seem that almost any theory at 

 to their true nature can be upset by 

 the facts concerning them; their loca- 

 tion, form, surrounding, etc. I hope 

 this may draw from others who have 

 collected them in place, observations 

 and theories concerning tl^m, when is 

 may be possible to arrive at some well 

 founded cause of origin. 



Honk! Honk!! Honk!!! 



An arctic expedition returned from 

 the polar regions and stopped near 

 this place to recuperate today. Its 

 arrival was announced by a loud honk! 

 honk!! which was first heard far up in 

 the sky. 



The expedition numbered fifteen 

 members and was ably led and com- 

 manded by that gray old veteran Bran- 

 ta Canadensis who led his forces ar- 

 ranged in the form of a letter V with- 

 out the least variation due south. 



It was the wild goose expedition 

 which having summered in the arctic 

 regions, decided to winter in more con- 

 genial climes. Although their course 

 was so correctly laid out, it is not to 

 be supposed that they had reasoned 

 out the question of a change of loca- 

 tion among themselves, consulted an 

 almanac or time-table looked at a com- 

 pass or took an observation of the sun, 

 to reach a decision and decide or direct 

 their course. Their action was not 

 influenced by what psychologists call 

 "higher cerebration" nor was it the 

 result of education or study. 



No. It was as the old timers say 

 "they fe.t it in their bones" that it was 

 time to move southward and southward 

 they went under the wonderful in- 

 fluence of instinct and the guidance of 

 the Almighty. 



ISADOR S. TrOSTLEK, 



Omaha, Neb. 



