No. 381.] WOTES ON SOME EUROPEAN MUSEUMS. 707 
terra-cotta color of the same shade as the velour in the desk 
cases. The shelves are of plate glass, with the exception of 
the bottom one, which is of wood. The matter of labeling has 
been very carefully attended to, but types and figured speci- 
mens are not as prominently marked as they should be in 
every collection. The arrangement of the fossils is primarily 
stratigraphical, and then zodlogical by geographical provinces. 
L’ Ecole des Mines. — The collections of this famous school 
in all departments of geology are enormous. Wooden-framed - 
cases are used throughout, but the installation is not very 
recent, and the writer does not know what the feeling of the 
authorities is toward cases with metal frames. The mineral 
collection is well labeled, but the classification is such that it 
is very difficult for a visitor, even though he know something 
of mineralogy, to find a given species. An attractive feature 
of the collection is the polished thin sections of minerals, such, 
for example, as agates, which are framed between glass and 
hung in the windows. There are many large, showy specimens 
in the collection, and these, for the most part, are arranged out 
of series in small rooms. They rest upon blocks, and are pro- 
vided with printed labels. They are in high wall cases. There 
is a large and very interesting suite of artificial reproductions 
of minerals, representing the labors of Daubrée, St. Claire 
Deville, and others. The table cases have flat tops, and the 
Specimens in them are displayed in pasteboard trays. The 
meteorite collection consists of small fragments, and is in white 
trays with blue edges. As would be expected in a mining 
school, materials of economic importance are well represented 
in the cases, 
In the geological department the general rock collection is 
apparently very complete, and contains many handsome speci- 
mens. It is well arranged in upright cases, but it is defective 
in point of labels, and therefore is nearly useless to a visitor. 
The collection to illustrate general. geology is very full, and is 
well arranged and labeled. It consists of a synoptic collection 
of rocks and fossils, and is classified by geographical provinces 
as well as by zoédlogical subdivisions, under the primary strati- 
graphic arrangement. The best collection of all in point of 
