ACCOUNTS, &C, OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 75 



Department of Minekalogy. 



During the year 1886, a new edilion of the Guide to the Meteorites has been issued : 

 additional specimens have been selected to illustrate the same, and the whole series of 

 illustrative specimens has been re-arranged. 



The fittings of the meteorite cases have been altered, and the whole of the meteorite 

 collection has been re-grouped. 



A new edition of the Index to the Mineral Collection has been prepared and published. 



The Descriptive Catalogue of the specimens of Pyrargyrite and Proustite, to the number 

 of 215, has been con)2)leted, and 150 crystals of these and other minerals have been 

 measured. 



The minerals and rocks illustrating the remarkable mode of occurrence of the diamond 

 in South Africa, Iiave been brought together and labelled. 



The localities of the Russian minerals in the general collection have been revised. 



176 rock sections have been examined microscopically., and the specimens and sections 

 have been named, habelled, and catalogued; rocks from Pembrokeshire, and a collection 

 from the Solomon Islands (made by Dr. Guppy), have been re-examined. 



The labelling of the mineral species has been completed by the printing, mounting, and 

 placing in the cases of 391 new labels. 



The large specimens in the lower cases have been provided with printed labels, and for 

 the most part re-arranged. 



In the Laboratory qaantitative analyses of the Felspar from Kilima-njaro, and a quali- 

 tative examiration uf the Youndagen meteoric iron have been made. 



223 sections of rocks and minerals have been cut, polished, and mounted ; and the Nejeu 

 meteoric ii'on has been cut, faced, and polished. 



The duplicate copy of the General Register has been completed. 



Assistance has been given in the naming and labelling of rocks and minerals in the 

 Colonial and Indian Exhibition. 



Departmental Library. 



To the Library have been added 1 10 sejjarate works (in 140 volumes), 208 memoirs 

 and pamphlets, and 19 serials (in 46 volumes). 



The whole of the volumes purchased during the year (including 565 plates) have been 

 stamped, registered, and catalogued. 



The entire library has been re-arranged, and the volumes, including 13 boxes of 

 pamphlets, have been re-pressmarked. 



205 volumes have been bound during the year. 



Visitors. 



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

 tion or study is 761. 



Acquisitions. 



1,556 specimens have been acquired during the year 1886, namely, 348 minerals, 977 

 rocks, 11 meteorites, and 220 crystal-sections for the polarlscope. 



These have been registered, numbered, labelled, and placed in the collection. Tlie more 

 important of them iire named below: — 



Minerals. 

 By Fresentation : — 



Crystals of native tellurium ; Boulder Co., Colorado ; by T. Berdell, Esq. 



Fine specimens of millerite ; Gap Mine, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania ; by Joseph 

 Whai'ton, Esq. 



Stibnite ; Cambria Mine, Auckland, New Zealand ; by A. Bennett, Esq. 



Silver ores; Chili; by Louis Blacker, Esq. 



A graiip of quartz crystals, originally the property of William Phillips ; Delabole, Corn- 

 wall ; by C. Fox, Esq. 



Slabs of crocidollte and catseye ; Asbestos Mountain, South Africa ; by Sidney 

 Cowper, Esq. 



Specimens of apophyllite and calclte ; Diamond Fields, South Africa , by F. 

 Schuie, Esq,, f.g.s. 



Twinned crystal of st^u^olite ; Brittany: by M. Duvergle._ 



Crystals of barytes exhibiting dichroism ; Old Parkside Mine, Frlzzlngton ; Beryl, in 

 diverging crystals ; GlMcullan, near Dublin; by W. G. Lettsom, Esq. 



Vanadinlte; Arizona; by Richard Pearce, Esq. 



A fine specunen of red wulfenite ; Melissa Mine, Arizona; by W. Semmons, Esq. 



Plattnerlte; Leadhllls, Lanarkshire; (hitherto considered as a doubtful opecles); by 

 T. Davies, Esq., F.G.S. 



185. K 2 By 



