REPOET OF THE SECEETAEY. 31 



Bolivia, Chile, and Paraguay, the Bolivian flora being particularly 

 well represented. 



Many other smaller collections were received, including mammals 

 from Alberta and plants from British Columbia collected by Sec- 

 retary and Mrs. Walcott. 



The work of remedying defects in the biological exhibition has 

 been practically confined to the mammal halls. Good progress has 

 been made in routine curatorial and preparatorial work in the 

 various collections, but everywhere this work is suffering from the 

 insufficiency of space and of personnel. 



Geology. — A satisfactory increase in the geological collections is 

 noted, although the accessions number slightly less than last year, 

 217, with an aggregate of 23,504 specimens being recorded. 



Valuable additions were made to the collections of Bolivian tin 

 and tungsten ores by Mr. F. L. Hess: rich examples of carnotite and 

 hewettite, the best thus far found in the United States, were acquired 

 through the generosity of the Standard Chemical Co., Naturita, 

 Colo. ; and large uranophane-bearing sandstone specimens were pre- 

 sented by Mr. John J. Bonner, Lusk, Wyo. Gold nuggets, eight in 

 number, the largest weighing 4i ounces, from, the Maxwell Land 

 Grant, N. Mex., were donated by Dr. Frank Springer, and Hon. 

 Holm O. Bursum presented examples of torbernite, a radium-bearing 

 mineral from White Signal, N. Mex. Other gifts to the economic 

 collections include examples of diamond-bearing rock from Pike 

 County, Ark., and slabs of building stones supplied hy various 

 dealers. 



The most notable addition to the meteorite collection is the mag- 

 nificent mass of iron from Owens v'alley, Calif., gift of Mr. Lincoln 

 Ellsworth, New York Q'\iy. Examples of other falls and finds, 10 

 in number, either new to the collection or hitherto poorly represented, 

 were acquired chiefly through exchanges. 



The mineral collections were benefited through gifts which in- 

 clude at least three exhibition soecimens. Large fine crystals of 

 colemanite, donated b}^ Mr. W. S. Eussell, Los Angeles, an attractive 

 specimen of cuprite showing deep red crystals on native copper, by 

 Dr. K. O. Hall, San Jose, Calif., and a zoned rhodenite of unusual 

 form, by Col. Washington A. Roe})ling, Trenton, N. J., are notable 

 among these. Valuable foreign minerals were acquired through 

 exchange ; type materials were transferred by the United States 

 Geological Survey; a series showing the effect of radium rays on 

 the color of minerals, beryl crystals from Brazil, and examples of 

 nesquehonite, clemantoid garnet, and other forms from Italy were 

 acquired by purchase; and interesting collections were made in the 

 field by the assistant curator. Gems of beauty and value have 

 been added to the Isaac Lea collection through its endowment fund, 



