152 REPORT OF .NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



constructed. All things considered, the present one is probably the best 

 that can be designed. 



The accessions of special interest are enumerated and annotated be- 

 low: 



John N. Atwood sent a collection of some 40 specimens of norite from Keeseville, 

 New York. 



Henry J. Biddle sent a fine series, comprising some 41 bard specimens, of olivine 

 and bronzite-rocks from the vicinity of Webster, North Carolina. 



Mrs. E. K. Huntington presented (through Prof. C. Chamberlain) one large slab 

 glacial polished and fluted limestone from Kelly's Island, Lake Erie. This is a very 

 fine and unique specimen, and the Museum was especially fortunate in being able to 

 procure it before it was destroyed by the quarrying operations now being carried on 

 in that vicinity. 



W. J. McGee, of the U. S. Geological Survey, gave one large concretion of ferruginous 

 sandstone from the glauconitic sand formations on Lloyd Creek, Sassafras River, 

 Maryland. 



George P. Merrill gave a small collection of serpentine and eruptive rocks from 

 California and Arizona. Also a very beautiful vein of shodochrosite and quartz from 

 Butte, Montana. 



Dr. A. C. Peale and G. P. Merrill gave a beautiful series of wood opals from the 

 bluffs on the Madison River. Also a fine lot of eruptive and sedimentary rocks from 

 the region of the Gallatin Valley, Montana. 



Pike Manufacturing Company, of Pike Station, New Hampshire, gave a large and 

 carefully prepared series of hone whetstones, scythe stones, and grinding stones, both 

 native and foreign. 



Charles D. Walcott, of the U. S. Geological Survey, gave two large slabs of Pots- 

 dam quartzite with ripple marks. Extra fine specimens, both on account of size and 

 the quality of the markings. 



B. Sturtz, of Bonn, Prussia, sent in exchange for other material an interesting 

 series of rocks, comprising 34 specimens, from Monte Vultari, Italy, Sardinia, Isle 

 of Ponza, Transylvania, and other European localities. 



Dr. George H. Williams sent a fine example of contorted gneiss. 



Prof. W. O. Crosby gave specimens of contorted mica schist from Naragansett Bay. 



E. Fritsch, New York, gave a series of 5 slabs African and German marbles. 



J. S. Diller, of the U. S. Geological Survey, gave a collection of eruptive rocks 

 from California and Kentucky. 



A statement of the character of the routine work has been given in 

 previous reports and needs no repetition here. A very considerable 

 amount of time is being continually demanded in attending to corre- 

 spondence and identifying materials sent in by outsiders. While this 

 is a legitimate and necessary work, unfortunately for the curator it 

 requires time which might otherwise be devoted to the preparation of 

 his exhibition series, or other work in which he is more especially in- 

 terested. The merely mechanical part of label writing also consumes 

 much time. Some 825 labels have been written and sent to the printer 

 during the year. In the preparation of these and in other clerical 

 work, I was assisted from July until November 15 by Miss B. Frank- 

 land, and from November 30 to March 10 by Miss Carrie Rosenbusch. 



The main points of growth in the exhibition series have been the 

 lithological and stratigraphical collections. This, for the reason that 

 proper cases are yet to be prepared for the other exhibits. The mechan- 



