28 ACCOUNTS, ESTIMATES, &C. OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



Chessy ; Celestine, from Sicily; Crocoisite, from Beiesowsk ; Vanadinite, from Wanlock 

 Head; Apatite, from Rossie, New York; Sfalactitic Wavellite, from Chester Cy. Pa; 

 Apophyilite, from the Faroe Isles, and from the trap of Bombay ; Laminar Salt, from 

 Cheshire, and from Hall, Tyrol ; Fluor, a polished slab, from Derbyshire; Galena, pseudo- 

 morphius, after Pyromorphite, from Cornwall; Native sulphur, from Girgenti ; Native 

 copper, from Lake Superior; a large crystal of Mica, from New York ; a large slab of 

 Mica; Fluoi, coated by quartz, Wearduie. 



From Edmund Christy, Esq. — The following specimens have heen received in presenta- 

 tion, being from the collection of the late Henry Christy, Esq. . — 



A fine mass of reddish brown crystals of Calcite, from Mexico ; lavas and sulphur, from 

 Popocatepetl; agate pebbles and Egyptian Syenite ; Cryolite, from Greenland ; Cinnabar; 

 and Hyalite, from Montezuma's bath. 



The collection of Meteorites has been enriched by the presentation, on the part of the 

 Secretary of State for Indin, of specimens of the stones that fell at and near biidoura, near 

 Kytal, in the district of Goruckpur, on January 19, 1865. 



But the most remarkable addition that has ever been made to the Collection of Meteorites 

 has accrued to it, during the past year, by the arrival, from Melbourne, Austialia, of the 

 great niiiss of Meteoric Iron found at Cranbounie, near that city, and known in the cobny as 

 the "Bruce Meteorite." It «as purchased by Mr. Bruce, now of Inverquhomery, witha view 

 to his presenting it to the Biitisli Museum. The Museum at Melbourne having, however, 

 obtained, through a misunderstanding, a promise of the half of it, the Trustees of tlie British 

 Museum acquired and sent to tlie Mc Ibourne Mupeum the mass of meteoric iron, weiiihino- 

 3,000 llis., that was sent to the Exhiliition of 18fi2, and which had been found close to the 

 great Meteorite. The hitter was then forwarded entire to London. Its weight is rather 

 more than SJ tons. It is, consequently, by far the largest meteoric mass in any collection 

 in the world. 



Among the acquisitions made by purchase during the year, the following merit mention as 

 more than usually remarkable : — 



A large and beautiful, being perfectly transparent, group of ruby red crystals of Proustite, 

 or "ligiitred silver ore," from Chili. 



A very fine nugget, formed by an aggregate of crystals of native gold, from California. 



Some very sharply facetted and fine crystals of the Electrum-gold of Transylvania. 



A mass, weighing nearly 30 lbs., of argentiferous Antimony, from Borneo. 



A crystalline piece of the rare mineral " Pollux," from Elba. 



A crystal of Fergusonite and ciystals of Eutlase, including one of a fine sap|)hire 

 colour. ' 



But the collection purchased in Russia of Colonel de Kokscharow has been the most im- 

 portant addition that has been made to the dgpartment since the purchase of the Allan-Greg 

 Collection in 18G0. The value of the Kokschaiow Collection consists in the admirable suites 

 of Russian, and, in particular, of Siberian Minerals, which form the greater part of it. Such 

 minerals are always difficult to obtain beyond the limits of the Russian empire. This collec- 

 tion has the further advantage that it comprises the greater part of the specimens which 

 have served as material for the valuable series of memoirs Colonel de Kokscharow has pub- 

 lished, under the title of " Contiibntions to the Mineralogy of Ru'^sia." 



Among the more choice seiies in this collection, the suite of Topazes, and more particu- 

 larly those from the Ourulga River, in Siberia, are exceptionally splendid. They, unite the 

 characters of completeness and variety in crystalline foim, transparence, colour, and extra- 

 ordinary size to a degree that leaves them unmatched. 



The specimens of Alexandrite, Phenakite, Rubellite, and Peroffskite, pre-eminently, 

 though not exclusively, Russian species, the unique three crystals of Euclase (only five 

 Russian specimens being known), the fine beryls and emeralds from Siberia, and the series 

 of Ilmenite, Crocoisite, Altaile and Petzite, and of native gold and copper, may also be men- 

 tioned as being especially remarkable. 



It is, however, the scientific character of this collection that gives it its highest value, 

 and for this it is indebted to the practised judgment of the eminent crystallographer who, in 

 forming it, had the rarest opportunities afforded him for making his selection. 



Nevil Story-Maskelyne. 



I 



Department of Botany. 



The principal business of the department during the year 1865 has consisted in the 

 naming, arranging and laying into the general herbarium of the extensive Collections of 

 Plants of Cuba, formed by Mr. Charles Wright, and of Venezuela, formed by M. Morilz; 

 of numerous families from the great Oriental Collections of M. Aucher Eloy ; of Plants 

 from Otaheite, the Fiji Archipelago, and other Islands of the S. Pacific; of a continuation 

 of the Senegambian Collections of Peirottet, Leprieur, and Heudelot, and of Thwaites's 

 Plants of Ceylon ; of M. Giesecke's Plants of Greenland ; of the Cellular Cryptogamic 

 Plants of Mr. Cuming's Philippine Collection; of Hepatica, Mosses, Characea, and Fungi, 

 from various localities and collectors, and of a large number of miscellaneous additions to 

 the Collection: 



In 



