Sir, 



LETTEE OF TEANSMITTAL. 



Geological Survey Branch, 



Department of Mines, 



Sydney, 9 January, 1902. 



I have the honor to submit for publication a " Handbook 

 to the Mining and Geological Museum," prepared by Mr. George 

 W. Card, A.R.S.M., F.G.S., Mineralogist and Curator. 



The collection of rocks, fossils, and minerals for the Geological 

 Survey Museum was started in the year 1875 by the late Mr. C. 

 S. Wilkinson, Geological Surveyor-in-charge, and rapidly increased 

 in magnitude after the appointment of the Geological Survey 

 Staff in the year 1878. 



In 1879 the collection contained 14,720 specimens, and towards 

 the latter end of the same year it was largely increased by the 

 addition of the late Rev. W. B. Clarke's private collection, which, 

 together with his library, was purchased by the Government. 



On the closing of the Sydney Exhibition in 1880, the Geo- 

 logical Survey Museum was installed in the "Garden Palace," or 

 Exhibition Building, a large wooden structure in the Inner 

 Domain, but unfortunately, on the 22nd September, 1882, this 

 edifice was totally destroyed by fire, and thus an exceedingly 

 valuable collection, numbering upwards of 50,000 specimens, was 

 lost. 



The work of renewing the collection was at once proceeded 

 with by the late Mr. Wilkinson, and has been zealously continued 

 ever since. The Museum now contains a valuable and representa- 

 tive collection of the rocks, minerals, and fossils of New South 

 Wales, and is of considerable use to students of geology and 

 others who take an interest in the mineral resources of the State. 



