DEPARTMENT OF MINEEALOGY, 171 



Publications. 



A new edition of the " Students' Index to the Collection of 

 Minerals " has been prepared and passed through the press, 

 and the following paper has been published in the " Mineral- 

 ogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society ": — 



" An improved form of Refractometer " : by G. F. Herbert 

 Smith, M.A., F.G.S. 



Miscellaneous. 



Slip-catalogues have been made of the large series of 

 specimens of silver and gold, and labels have been written for 

 all the specimens. For this purpose all available information 

 respecting each specimen has been collected on the corre- 

 sponding slip and the history traced as far as possible. In 

 connection with this work a slip-index has been made of all 

 the specimens purchased at Heuland's Sales before 1837 ; the 

 collections of silver and copper have been entirely re-arranged ; 

 and the more valuable specimens of gold and platinum have 

 been weighed. Further, all the specimens of gold, silver 

 and copper, bearing aiSxed labels referring only to special 

 catalogues, have now been entered in the General Register. 



Experiments have been made relative to the best method 

 of attaching the register-numbers to specimens, and gummed 

 tickets, partly printed, have been designed. 



The incorporation of recent acquisitions has necessitated 

 the re-arrangement and expansion of several species (pyro- 

 morphite, garnet, blende, &c.) in the cases and drawers. 



Seventeen cubes of old drawers (8 drawers to a cube) which 

 were too shallow for mineral specimens have been replaced by 

 others containing 5 drawers to a cube. 



Large Index-labels for species have been designed, printed, 

 framed and fixed to the columns in the gallery. 



The Catalogue of scientific instruments and apparatus in 

 the Department has been revised and amplified. 



Assistance has been given in the revision of the proofs of 

 the Catalogue of the Museum Library. 



Seventy-two boxes or parcels, containing about 1,300 

 mineral specimens, have been received, unpacked, and 

 examined ; eighty-five boxes or parcels have been packed 

 and despatched. 



280 thin slices of rocks have been prepared and two 

 meteoric irons have been cut. 



Departmental Library. 



To the Departmental Library have been added continua- 

 tions of 29 periodicals (in 387 parts), 59 volumes of separate 

 works, 66 pamphlets and parts of works, and 26 mining and 

 survey reports; of these, 9 periodicals (in 118 parts), 11 



