30 Report of the President 



Matilda W. Bruce endowment. Among the additions from the 

 Bruce Fund may be mentioned a remarkable Binnite from 

 Switzerland, a Hambergite from Madagascar, the new and 

 brilliant crystallizations of Phenacite from Brazil, the new and 

 attractive Natrochalcite from Chile, Seligmanite from Montana, 

 and the large clear Topazes from Texas. There have also 

 been purchased, through the general appropriation fund, an 

 interesting large twin Calcite from St. Lawrence County, New 

 York, Tourmaline crystals from California and a beautiful 

 native silver group from Houghton, Michigan. Mr. J. Pierpont 

 Morgan presented to the department through Dr. George F. 

 Kunz a very beautiful cut gem of the new gem-stone " Mor- 

 ganite, " weighing 57 carats. This is the rose beryl from Mount 

 Bity, Madagascar. With it we received an uncut specimen of 

 the beryl itself. These specimens have been added to the 

 Gem Collection and have attracted deserved attention. 



No research work or collecting has been done, with the 

 exception of some local examinations. 



The exhibition of minerals is still unsatisfactory, but it is 

 hoped that in the new hall, to which the department expects 

 soon to move its collection, it will be possible to adequately 

 meet the needs of the public, and also the indisputable claims 

 of the collector and the student. This anticipated removal 

 has made necessary the preparation of plans contemplating the 

 new conditions, and plans also calculated to facilitate the 

 mechanical problem of the removal itself. 



The Curator has prepared this year a work entitled 

 " Popular Mineralogy," in which is embraced a large section, 

 descriptive, in a popular way, of the Bement Collection of 

 Minerals. 



MAMMALS AND BIRDS 

 J. A. Allen, Curator 



Department of Mammalogy and Ornithology. — The 

 accessions in ornithology have been less than in several 

 former years, but in mammalogy they greatly exceed those of 

 any recent year in the history of the department, not only in 

 number of specimens but in their importance. Nearly all 

 have been acquired by purchase or through Museum expedi- 



