ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. f)^ 



VI. — Lectures, Demonstrations, and Visits from Students. 



A course of 12 lectures, given under the Swiney Bequest, by Prof. H. AUeyne Nichol- 

 son, M.D., F.G.S., was delivered in the Reserve Grallery of this Department during the 

 months of March and April, and was well attended. 



The students of the Royal School of Mines and of the Normal School of Science have 

 on severid occasions received demonstrations in the Gallery from Dr. Woodward, Mr. 

 Etheridge, and Prof. Judd. 



The members of the " Essex Field Club " have on two occasions visited the collections 

 and received a demonsti'ation from the cases by Prof. Owen, C.B., and a lecture in the 

 Reserve Gallery by Dr. Woodward. 



A demonstration was given to the members of the Watford Naturalists' Field Club, 

 by Mr. R. Etheridge from the specimens in the cases. 



Four schools of the Haberdashers' Company have on separate occasions also received 

 demonstrations in the Gallery from Dr. Woodward. 



The number of visits from persons who have consulted the collections during the past 

 year for purposes of study, and who have received attention and assistance in their scien- 

 tific work, was 1,209. 



Henry Woodward. 



Department of Minekalogy. 



Arrangement, ^c. 



During the past year the substitution of printed for written locality-labels has been 

 continued, and at the same time each label has been marked with the register number 

 of the specimen to which it refers ; printed labels have also been introduced to indicate 

 specimens which have belonged to the Cracherode, Heuland, Aylesford, Allan-Greg, or 

 Kokscharow collections. The division of the mineral species by coloured slips, and the 

 verification of the accuracy of the localities of the mineral specimens, have been 

 completed. 



A group of large specimens of various British and Indian minerals has been arranged 

 in a wall-case of the Pavilion, and in a table-case of the same room has been placed a 

 set of artificial crystals, which, after remaining in the drawers for some years, owing to 

 want of space for exhibition, have now been mounted and labelled. In two wall-cases have 

 been arranged polished specimens of marbles, and of rocks used for decorative purj)oses. 



The collection of Pseudomorphs has been extended and arranged. The minerals and 

 rocks transferred from the India Museum in 1879, and of which the examination had 

 been delayed by reason of the removal to South Kensington, have been unpacked and 

 carefully sorted; the minei'als which it is intended to retain have been registered, ticketed, 

 and incorporated with the collection. 



Considerable progress has been made in the work of arranging and labelling the 

 minerals at present contained in the reserve drawers. 



A large proportion of the miscellaneous rocks has been collected together', sorted and 

 arranged inthe drawers now set apart for the reception of the several collections of rocks. 



Crystallographic work has been done upon the specimens of Skutterudite, Copper pyrites 

 and the Tetrahedrite group. 



In the Laboratory 18 qualitative, and "15 quantitative analyses have been made, in 

 addition to experiments relative to the crust formed in the boilers. 



In addition to current periodicals, 103 separate works have been purchased and 

 stamped, and their titles have been introduced into the Catalogue. 



Upwards of 9,000 duplicate specimens of minerals have been distributed among twelve 

 teaching institutions. 



The number of visits recorded as made to the department for consultation and study 

 is 697. 



Acquisitions. 



Four hundred and eighty-eight mineral specimens have been acquired during the past 

 year ; these have been registered, ticketed, labelled, and incorporated with the collection ; 

 113 entries of rocks have been made in the register, and relate to 248 specimens presented 

 by the British Association, and to about 4,500 specimens transferred from the India 

 Museum. 



0.63. H 2 



