ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 55 



sentatives, was delivered in the Lecture-room of the Museum. Dr. Traquair also gave 

 a number of Demonstrations in Gallery A. (Fossil Fishes) to attentive and appreciative 

 audiences. 



The members of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society, conducted by Mr. 

 Etheridpe, F.R.S., visited the Galleries. 



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

 and received a demonstration in the Coral and Echinoderm Collections. Prof. Owen, 

 Prof. Duncan, and Prof. Seeley, have each brought parties of students to the Galleries 

 and received assistance. 



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

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

 scientific work, was 2,453. 



Henry Woodtcaid. 



Department of Mineralogy. 



Arrangement, Sfc. 



In the course of the year 1883, 20 new window-cases have been placed at the service 

 of the Department, and it has thus become possible to extend and multiply the auxiliary 

 collections, and yet at the same time to simplify the arrangement of the whole ; for now 

 the Avindow-cases and the table-cases of the Gallery contain i-espectively the auxiliary and 

 the main collections, and all the central show-cases of the Pavilion are available for the 

 display of the magnificent collection of meteorites. 



The 20 window-cases have been utilised as follows : the first contains a series of 

 specimens intended to serve as an introduction to tlie study of minerals ; the second is 

 given uj) to the temporary exhibition of recent additions, previous to their dispersion 

 through the collection ; in three of them have been arranged specimens selected to illus- 

 trate the characters of minerals and the terminology of the science ; the next eight cases 

 contain the collections of crystals and crystal models ; and in the remaining seven is shown, 

 for the first time as a whole, the fine collection of pseudomorphs, now occupying five times 

 the space possible In the old gallery at Bloomsbury. 



Three of the large specimens, two uf Calcite, and cne of Selenlte, have been placed in 

 a new case specially constructed for their exhibition. 



All those specimens, 4,215 in number, which had been acquired j^revlous to 1837, and 

 were without reference to any catalogue, have been numbered and registered. 



A list of the donations of mineral specimens between 1754 and the commencement of a 

 register In 1837 has been extracted from the general list of donations to the Trustees which 

 is kept at Bloomsbury, and when possible the specimen has been recognised and the name 

 of the donor affixed. 



Upwards of 4,000 specimens have been set aside as duplicates, and neatly labelled so as 

 to be ready for distribution. 



Crystallographic work has been done upon the specimens of Meneghlnlte and Bour- 

 nonlte. The crystallographic symbol has been determined for and painted on each face 

 of 743 crystal models, and the wdiole collection, which is shown for tliC first time, has 

 been arranged and labelled. 



In the laboratory 49 qualitative and 7 quantitative analyses have been made. 



For the departmental library have been acquired 199 separate works (including 27 

 pamphlets) in addition to the current periodicals ; these have been stamped and cata- 

 logued ; 1,638 volumes and 6,734 plates have received the departmental stamp ; the whole 

 of the library has been press-marked and the references have been entered In the 

 Catalogue. 



The number of visits recorded as made to the department for the purpose of consulta- 

 tion or study Is 617. 



Acquisitions. 



Four hundred and fifty specimens, namely, 272 simple minerals, 167 rocks, and 11 

 meteorites, have been acquired during the past year, and have been registered, labelled, 

 and placed in the collection. The m.ore important of these ai-e given below. 



Minerals. 

 J^T/ Fresentation : — 



Specimens of Native Copper in the matrix : from tlie Calumet and Hecla Mines, Michi- 

 gan, U.S.A. : by the Mine owners. 



Crystalline sprigs of Native Gold, Ontario Mine, Summit Co., Colorado : by Richard 

 Pearce, Esq. 



0.63. G 4 Diamonds 



