Minerals. 353 



2. CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCIPAL ACCESSIONS TO 

 THE DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS (1753-1903). 



The specimens preserved in the Mineral Department are 

 conveniently discriminated into three series, briefly and con- 

 veniently designated MINERALS, ROCKS and METEORITES. 



SERIES A. MINERALS. 



The Collection of Minerals is arranged in two Divisions, 

 namely, the Introductory Series and the Systematic Collection ; 

 to the latter several small collections are auxiliary : 



Div. I. The Introductory Series, which comprises some of the 

 best of the mineral specimens, is exhibited in the 

 first four window-cases (I IV) of the Gallery. 

 The specimens have been selected, arranged and 

 labelled, to serve as an Introduction to the Study of 

 Minerals. 



Div. II. The Systematic Collection. The finest and the most 

 instructive specimens of the Systematic Collection 

 are exhibited in forty -one table-cases (1-41) in the 

 Gallery ; most of the remaining specimens are in 

 the drawers of the table-cases and wall-cases of 

 the Gallery and Pavilion. Many of those speci- 

 mens which are too large to be exhibited in the 

 positions proper to them as members of series are 

 exhibited in the lower parts of the table-cases of 

 the Gallery, or are mounted on separate tables or 

 pedestals, and are then adjacent to the corre- 

 sponding specimens of smaller size ; but most of 

 the finer large specimens are brought together as 

 a special collection and are exhibited in the wall- 

 cases (H, J, K) of the Pavilion. 



A complete list of the mineral species and varieties repre- 

 sented in the Collection, with a reference to the location of the 

 specimens in the Gallery, is published under the title of The 

 Student's Index to the Collection of Minerals. 



VOL. I. 2 A 



