FOURTH FLOOR 



15 



Turning to the west and again passing through the Reptile 

 Corridor one enters a stately room (No. 404) devoted to minerals 

 and in recognition of jMr. J. Pierpont Morgan's many Mineral 

 gifts to the Museum named the Morgan Hall. Here Collection, 

 are the Bement Collection of minerals and meteorites, certain 

 splendid crystal groups from various donors and the cabinet of 

 the New York Mineralogical Club. There is a special guide for 

 this hall. Copies will be found attached to the cases and they 

 may be purchased of the attendant. 



The specimens in the table cases have been arranged strictly 

 in accordance with the sixth edition of Dana's System of Miner- 

 alogy. The beginning of the series is in the southeast corner of 

 the hall. The Sulphur specimens (Cases i, F and J) arrest 

 attention on account of their beauty and their strikingly perfect 

 crystallization. Particularly choice are the specimens of Gold 

 (Case i). The mineral is shown here in sheets like rolled metal; 

 in plates with cr^^stalline edges; in matted filaments consisting 

 of minute octahedra; in grouped octahedra with hollow faces, 

 and in twisted plates attached to quartz. Copper is another 

 native element which occurs in fine crystals (see Case i). Among 

 the sulphides (Cases i, 2 and A) Stibnite, the sulphide of anti- 

 mony, Galenite, the sulphide of lead, and Sphalerite, the sulphide 

 of zinc, are valuable ores and at the same time beautifully 

 crystallized minerals. Pyrite (Cases 2 and C), the sulphide of 

 iron, is a very common species which is prized in every exhibi- 

 tion collection on account of its showy brilliant cubes, dodeca- 

 hedra and other crystal forms. Fluorite (Cases 3 and 4), Quartz 

 (Cases 4, 5, H,P), the Iron Ores (Cases 6 and 7), Calcite, Malachite 

 and Azurite (Cases 8, 9, 10, I, J), Beryl, including Emerald and 

 Aquamarine (Case 12), Tourmaline (Cases 15, 16 andK), Barite 

 (Cases 23, Q) and Crocoite (Case 24) are among the specialties of 

 the collection which should not escape the notice of the visitor. 



This collection, which probably forms the best exhibition 

 series of mineral specimens in the country, is almost entirety the 

 gift of Mr. Morgan. 



The Museum collection of meteorites, which is one of the 



largest in the country, has been placed temporarilv in 



^ , , ™ ' „ . . /. Meteorites. 



Cases 25 and 26. ihe collection contams many rarities. 



