504 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890. 



in 1876 were still unpacked and unassorted, as were also those received 

 from the various United States geological surveys that existed prior to 

 the present organization. 



To the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, the Tenth census (1880), the 

 United States Land Office and the various United States geological 

 surveys and exploring expeditious the department is largely indebted 

 for whatever material it possessed prior to 1882. The time since the 

 death of Dr. flawes and the organization of the three departments of 

 mineralogy, metallurgy, and lithology and physical geology from the 

 one department of geology and mineralogy as it then existed, and the 

 very recent recousolidation of the department of metallurgy with that 

 of lithology and physical geology, has been too short for more than a 

 beginning to be made. 



The handbook herewith presented is designed to be one of a system- 

 atic series, dealing as will be observed with but the first of the four 

 divisions into which the science of geology is ordinarily divided.* 



As at present arranged the collections of this division are installed in 

 what it is hoped may ultimately prove to be temporary cases. Entering 

 the hall from the east end, from the department of mammals, the visitor 

 finds the first case of the series, that containing the elements and rock 

 forming minerals, immediately upon his or her left. In this and all cases 

 following the exhibits are so arranged that the observer, beginning with 

 the extreme upper left corner, proceeds from left to right as in reading 

 a book, each half case representing a page and each row of specimens 

 a line of printed matter. The drawers in the lower portion of the cases 

 are utilized for storage of material designed for study rather than 

 exhibition. A list of the more important collections contained in these 

 storage or table cases, as they are called, is given towards the close of 

 this paper. (See pp. 589-591.) 



In preparing the exhibit the idea advanced by Dr. G. B. Goode to the 

 effect that a museum should consist of a series of labels illustrated by 

 specimens has been ever kept in mind. Otherwise expressed the Cu- 

 rator has striven to make the department but a profusely illustrated 

 text book in which the objects themselves serve as illustrations, and 

 the text, reduced to a minimum amount, is furnished by the labels. 



In arranging the exhibits under their various heads I have followed 

 substantially the plan as laid down in Professor Geikie's text book,t 



'Two handbooks relating to the economic exhibits of the department have already 

 appeared. The first, entitled The Collection of Building and Ornamental Stones in 

 the United States National Museum, a handbook and catalogue, was prepared by the 

 present writer and was issued in Part II of the Smithsonian Report for 188. r )-'eifi. 

 The second, entitled Preliminary Descriptive Catalogue of the Systematic Collections 

 in Economic Geology aurl Metallurgy, was prepared by Mr. F. P. Dewey, formerly 

 curator of metallurgy, and will be published as a Bulletin. A "Preliminary Hand- 

 book of the Department Geology," in the form of a pamphlet of some fifty pages has 

 also been prepared by the present writer and was issued as an appendix to the Museum 

 report for 1888-S9. 



IText Book of Geology. By A. Geikie, 2d ed., MacMillan &. Co., London, 1885. 



