266 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [mAY 31, 



is so soft that they can be taken out unbroken. In form they 

 are almost without exception rhombic dodecahedrons, I-. 



In Burke County, N. C.,' near Morgan ton and Warlick, where 

 garnets are mined for emery purposes, they are found in sufficient 

 quantities to warrant the establishment of grinding-mills. 



They are usually coated with a hydrous oxide of iron from a 

 superficial decomposition, but are sometimes compact enough 

 internally to be cut into slabs several inches in size, or even into 

 small dishes. Some of these crystals which have come into my 

 possession weighed twelve pounds. A few weighing eighteen 

 pounds have been found. They are usually quite perfect on 

 every face, the trapezohedron 2-2 being the common face. 



Although both of the above localities have afforded larger 

 crystals, yet no finer crystal of its size than the one here illus- 

 trated has ever come under the writer's notice. The finding of an 

 single isolated crystal is not singular, as garnet and tourmaline 

 are often so found. 



Mr. Kunz also exhibited some pseudomorphs of quartz after 

 minerals in mica. The quartz contained relatively large cavi- 

 ties holding water. 



The method of formation in siliceous minerals of such cavities 

 with water was discussed by the President. 



Prof. D. S. Martin spoke of the remarkable character of 

 New York Island as a mineral locality, and the desirability of a 

 permanent exhibition of its minerals. It was agreed, after dis- 

 cussion, that some concerted action should be taken to gather 

 and preserve a representative collection before buildings so cover 

 the island as to render collection impossible. The American 

 ]\Iuseum of Natural History was suggested as the proper place 

 of deposit, and the collection of Mr. Chamberlin as a good 

 nucleus, it now being the finest collection of New York minerals 

 in existence. 



Mr. George F. Kunz read the following paper: 



' American Gems, in " Mineral Resources of U. S.," Wash., 1883-84, 

 page 746. 



