Miscellaneous Intelligence. 399 



crystalline platy masses of the bismuth, from which it is unques- 

 tionably derived. The native bismuth is generally in long irreg- 

 ular crystals, always forming a capping over another mineral, 

 evidently tourmaline ; it also appears in platy crystalline masses, 

 several millimeters in length and breadth, up to 12 or 15. The 

 characteristic pinkish tin color is well shown in a cut section, and 

 on the pronounced c faces of cleavage. One bismuth crystal, an 

 inch in length, was evidently a pseudomorph or replacement of 

 bismuth after a feldspar (?). The hardness is a little above 2. 



7. The Production of Precious Stones in 1902 ; by George F. 

 KuNz. Extract from Mineral Resources of the United States, 

 U. S. Geological Survey, Washington, ] 903. — This report gives 

 an interesting summary of the production of the various gera^ 

 and ornamental stones throughout the world with particular ref- 

 erence to this country. The total importation of precious stones 

 into this country amounted in 1 902 to nearly ^25,000,000. The 

 comparative table for the years 1896 to 1902 shows that in that 

 period the production of sapphire in this country increased from 

 110,000 to $115,000 ; of tourmaline from $3,000 to 830,000 ; of 

 turquoise from 840,000 to $130,000. No diamonds have been 

 found in this country during 1902, but the production in South 

 Africa was large, aggregating upwards of four million pounds 

 sterling. It is noted as a matter of curiosity that a cubic meter 

 of diamonds from the De Beers Mine was found to weigh 

 11,976,000 carats and had the approximate value of about 

 176,000,000. 



An interesting account is given of the production of diamonds 

 and carbons (carbonado) in Bahia, Brazil, and a description is 

 given of some very large masses of carbon found there. The 

 largest of these, found in 1895, weighed 3,078 carats ; another, 

 found in 1894, weighed 975 carats and a third was found in 1901 

 weighing 750|^ carats. 



. III. Miscellaneous Scientific Intelligence. 



1. Report of the XI. S. jSfatioiial Museum under the direction 

 of the Smithsonian Institution for the year ending June 30, 1901. 

 — This volume gives the reader a good knowledge of the activity 

 in the work of the National Museum at Washington, the con- 

 duct of which is one of the important functions of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. It contains the report of the Assistant Secre- 

 tary in charge of the Museum, Mr. Richard Rathbun, with also 

 those of W. H. Holmes, Curator in the Department of Anthro- 

 pology, of F. W. True, Curator of Biology, and of G. P. Merrill, 

 Curator in Geology. Among the special papers accompanying 

 the volume is one giving a full account of the exhibit of the 

 Museum at the Pan-American Exposition illustrated by many 

 plates ; another on flint implements and fossil remains from a 

 Sulphur Spring at Afton, I. T., by W. H. Holmes ; on archaeo- 

 logical field work in northeastern Arizona by Walter Hough ; a 



