54 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1885. 



Orleans material has been carried on as far as practicable, and, with 

 the assistance of Mr. Allen, a number of very valuable analyses have 

 been made. A large number of accessions have been received, among 

 which may be specially mentioned an interesting series representing 

 the smelting of copper from the oxidized ores of Arizona, donated by 

 the Copper Queen Company, and a series of apatite from many locali- 

 ties, donated by Pickford and Wingfield, of London, England. In the 

 middle of May the curator returned to New Orleans to pack up the 

 collection and to solicit contributions for increasing the value of the 

 permanent collections. No attempt was made to obtain large, entire 

 collections without regard to their value to the Museum, requests be- 

 ing made for material of only two classes, i. e., those of intrinsic value, 

 and of such as would fill gaps in our permanent collections. This effort 

 was so successful that much very valuable material was obtained and 

 some of the most important gaps were filled ; among the former should 

 be especially noticed the important and interesting collection received 

 from Mexico, and among the latter the valuable series of iron ores from 

 the Menominee region iu Michigan. After the return of the curator to 

 Washington, in June, the collection donated to the Museum by the 

 American Institute of Mining Engineers commenced to arrive, and 

 claimed his attention during the remainder of the fiscal year. 



