1144 Asiatic Society. [No. 107. 



VIII, Silver. — We have but three of these ores, but we shall be able to supply 

 sevei-al South American, and other specimens, from the Society's collections. We 

 require, however, series of the European and American silver ores with their lodes, 

 preparations, and smeltings. I mention particularly here, the Mexican and Peruvian 

 silver ores, because some of them would, from their earthy appearance, and the small 

 proportion of metal they contain, be passed by as mere red earthy soils or iron ores, 

 which in fact they are. Some of these ores are from the staples of some of the great mines 

 of Mexico and Peru, and it may be possible, that we have also deposits of these ores on 

 the flanks of the Western Ghauts ; or in other situations of which the geological 

 features approach to those of South America, though upon a smaller scale, 



"IX. Gold. — There are no ores of this metal in the collection, and but very few in 

 the Museum. It is indeed generally obtained from washings, but it is of importance 

 to us to have specimens of all its ores, particularly of the auriferous iron ores, and of 

 the telluretted gold ores of Hungary, which so much approach those of antimony. 

 We require also the alluvial and diluvial soils in which gold is found ; and especial- 

 ly drawings or models of the American washing-frames, which are so extensively used 

 at the gold- washings of Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas. These are cheap and 

 effective, and perform so much work in a day, that many tracts which had formerly 

 been abandoned by the gold- washers as too poor, have been washed over again to a 

 good profit. It is evident that this is what is required for the gold-washings of 

 Southern India, (and for the auriferous sands of our rivers, where labour, though 

 cheap, is made dear by being applied in the expensive and wasteful process of 

 hand-washings. 



" X. Quicksilver. — There are no ores of quicksilver in the collection. We shall 

 perhaps be able to supply one or two, but this metal is both so important as an 

 article of commerce, and as an agent in the separation of the precious metals by 

 amalgamation, that we should by all means obtain an assortment of its few ores, 

 and specimens of the deposits in which they occur, from Spain, Idria, and South 

 America. We shall not I hope be thought too sanguine if we hope that when the 

 numerous carboniferous deposits of India are better known and studied, mercury 

 may be found. We know that it exists abundantly in Yunan, most probably in the 

 formations in which it has always, hitherto been found, and it is therefore quite 

 possible that it may be found on our Eastern (Assam or Cacher) frontier. Like 

 silver, one or two of its known ores might easily be passed over. The metallic- 

 looking ores of any mineral we know, are sure to attract attention ; it is the 

 rubbish-like, earthy-looking ones, therefore, which specially demand a place in a 

 Museum of Instruction. 



" XI. Arsenic. — We should not omit to collect all the ores and lodes of this metal 

 which so much abounds in India and to the eastward. Independent of its value as 

 an article of commerce, its frequent association with the precious metals may 

 Induce a hope that a careful examination of its ores might lead to some discoveries. 

 It is probable that we are yet far from knowing all the combinations of this Prote.us 

 of the metals with others. 



" XII. Bismuth, Cobalt, Chrome, and Nickel. — The ores, lodes, and every sort of 

 information relative to these metals, should not be neglected. Some of these are 



