THE COLLECTION OF MINERALS 
moner minerals and the exceptional perfection of the specimens. 
The present Museum collection is the combination of the material 
from all these sources, but owing to lack of space the Bement col- 
lection only is on exhibition, except in the wall cases. 
CLASSIFICATION. 
The classification of minerals in an exact sense was impossible 
as long as mineralogists adopted artificial systems based solely 
on color, hardness, source, weight or fanciful external resem- 
blances. Only as the science of chemistry developed and as 
better methods of analysis were devised could a philosophical 
classification of minerals become possible. To chemical law 
mineralogy has adhered more and more closely, and while, to 
some extent, minor groups are founded upon crystallographic 
identity or similarity, the underlying basis of classification 
throughout is chemical composition. Minerals of the same 
chemical type are grouped together, and under that type 
minerals of similar physical or crystallographic features are 
arranged in smaller subdivisions. The forms of minerals are 
their most obvious characteristic. The six-sided prisms of Quartz 
and Beryl crystals, the rhomboidal or trapezoidal faces of Garnet, 
the triangular faces of Magnetite and the square faces of Fluorite 
are unmistakable. Observation at last passed beyond the first 
stages of curiosity or admiration and, slowly helped by many 
early students, and rapidly advanced by the genius of two or 
three, the branch of mineral science known as Crystallography 
~has developed. Crystal form, furthermore, has been found to 
have close dependence upon chemical composition. 
In the development of the nomenclature of the science the 
form of the names instituted by the ancients has been retained, 
and the termination -ite, derived from the classic Greek -1trs, 
meaning belonging to, prevails. For example, Hematite, from 
the Greek word for blood, alludes to the red color of one mineral; 
Chlorite, to the green color of another, and Siderite, from the 
Greek word for iron, has reference to the chemical nature of a 
third. Several names which are exceptions to the rule, such as 
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