Jan., 1909. 



Annual Report of the Director. 



241 



to examine them. When several specimens which it is desired to pro- 

 tect occur in one case the levers on the different boxes are connected 

 with a rod so that a single button connects with all the boxes in the 

 case. A single pressure of the button thus permits examination of all 

 the specimens at one time. Protective devices of this kind were pro- 

 vided for all the important specimens of orpiment, realgar, topaz, 

 rhodonite, proustite, and lorandite, and it is proposed to add others. 

 New specimens have been installed in the mineral collection as re- 

 ceived and individual pasteboard trays have been provided for a 

 number of fragmental specimens. Twenty storage drawers have 

 been added to the cases in Hall 64. Studies made of specimens of the 

 mineral collection during the summer by the Curator and Mr. E. W. 

 Tillotson, Jr., resulted in finding a number of new crystal forms and 

 habits. These include one new form of bertrandite, two of calcite, 

 three of linarite, two of olivenite, one of octahedrite and three of orpi- 

 ment. A new axial ratio was found for olivenite and new habits ob- 

 served for anglesite, barite, bertrandite, calcite, leadhillite, linarite, 

 mimetite, octahedrite, olivenite, orpiment, realgar, rutile, and sphal- 

 erite. In Hall 65 a wall case of stalagmites has been installed, es- 

 especially notable specimens being a series of marcasite stalactites 

 from Galena, Illinois, which were collected a number of years ago and 

 presented to the Museum by Elizabeth E. T. Sawyer, two large sta- 

 lagmites from Missouri, and a series of cave formations from Crystal 

 Cave, South Dakota. The stalactites installed in this case had 

 been mounted in normal position, being hung from shelves by hooks 

 inserted in the base of each stalactite. A number of fulgurites have 

 also been installed in this case. Other specimens newly placed on 

 exhibition in this hall include a number of groups of concretions, 

 various erosion forms, and two large slabs of orbicular gabbro and 

 granite. A cave exhibit illustrating the occurrence of a large selenite 

 deposit in Utah is also being constructed in this hall. The installation 

 of the systematic rock collection in Hall 66 has been completed, 

 about fifteen hundred specimens having been placed on exhibition. 

 The specimens are installed on individual blocks and fill eight floor 

 cases. Of these the igneous rocks occupy four cases, sedimentary 

 rocks two cases, and metamorphic rocks two cases. Descriptive 

 labels have been placed in the cases in addition to the individual 

 labels with a view to making the collection as instructive as possible. 

 Eight wall cases in the hall have also been installed in part. 

 These contain the series of rocks of Manhattan Island and the iron- 



