II 



choice specimen of the rare Fossa, and two Arctic foxes 

 were also obtained and placed on exhibition. 



Mineralogy, Geology, and Palaeontology. 



Early in the year a collection of old documents was 

 found, which proved that a large crystal of Beryl possessed 

 by the Museum, and of which the history had been lost, was 

 presented in 1840 by the authorities of " Yale College," now 

 the Yale University, Massachusetts, U.S.A. The specimen 

 was brought over in the " Great Western " Steamship, on the 

 return from its first voyage to America. The specimen 

 fortunately bore a fragment of an old label, which made 

 identification certain. The crystal has now been mounted in 

 a special case, with smaller crystals for comparison, and the 

 documentary evidence of its origin placed with it. 



A collection of minerals, which formed a part of the 

 Braikenridge collection, was presented to the Museum by 

 Mr. Matthew Hale. It has been classified and placed in store 

 for use in a re-organisation of the whole mineral series. 



Mr. V. E. Robson commenced his duties on December 1st. 

 He has been occupied with the selection and mounting of a 

 series of minerals from the Denver collection presented by 

 Mr. A. H. Wethey ; the extension and classification of the 

 series of fossil Foraminifera, which has been increased by 

 enlarged models of various species, photographs and explana- 

 tory labels. He has also prepared a large Brachiopod series. 

 This latter group now consists of 1,300 specimens, all of which 

 have been put into, good order, the generic and specific deter- 

 minations checked, and brought up to date, and the whole 

 classified in accordance with Zittel's *' Palaeontology," 

 Eastman's translation, Second Edition, 1913. The group is 

 arranged in glass-topped boxes, and includes 450 species, 

 representing 104 genera and 41 families. Amongst them are 

 four types and three described specimens. Several rare forms 



