WARD’S NATURAL SCIENCE BULLETIN. 
3 
THE MALLET COLLECTION OF MINERALS. 
A CHOICE COLLECTION OF RARE SPECIES. 
All scientific collectors of minerals are aware 
liow difficult it is to obtain good typical speci- 
mens, or sometimes any specimens at all of the 
rarer species. And only those who have col- 
lected for many years can fully appreciate the 
value of the collection which is now for the first 
time offered for sale. To the initiated we can 
give no better proof of its excellence and worth 
than the simple statement that it is the entire 
private collection of Dr. J. W. Mallet, late of 
the University of Virginia, which has been 
placed in our hands for sale, and represents many 
years’ careful collecting. The worldwide repu- 
tation and scientific standing of Prof. Mallet 
enabled him to obtain from the directors of gov- 
ernment mines and surveys, original discoverers 
and others, rare specimens not often obtainable 
by collectors. Many of the minerals are interest- 
ing as coming from the first discovered locality; 
and some species are represented by the largest 
and best crystals known. The commoner min- 
erals are generally represented by small typical 
specimens, rather than large showy ones, so that 
the main value of the collection lies in the variety 
and excellence of the rarer and more costly 
species. 
Although in a notice like this it is impossible 
to give more than a general idea of the richness 
of the collection, a few details will serve some- 
what to indicate it. First we have over sixty 
specimens of native gold from the various gold- 
bearing regions of the world, among them some 
finely crystalized specimens, typical nuggets, 
washed gold, and the exceedingly rare paladium 
gold. We have in this species also, as in many 
others, the economic interest well illustrated by 
a suit of specimens from the Comstock lode 
showing the various stages and processes of sep- 
aration from the ore. Silver is equally well rep- 
resented, not only by valuable specimens in the 
native state, but by finely crystalized Argentites, 
Proustites, Pyrargyrites, as well as many of the 
rarer forms, such as 
Amalgam, Schirmerite, 
Dyscrasite, Polytelite, 
Chilenite, Stephanite, 
Argentite, Polybasite, 
Hessite, (original locality) Cerargyrite, (a large 
Petzite, specimen from Lead- 
Stromeyerite, ville, weighing 10 lbs. 
Sylvanite, and containing $110 
Margyrite, in silver.) 
Diaphorite, Embolite, 
Pyrargyrite, Bromyrite, 
Proustite, Iodyrite. 
There are many interesting specimens of Plat- 
inum; one uncommonly large nugget weighs 3 
ounces and the economic value of another speci- 
men is over $70. Meteorites are represented by 
an interesting series of forty specimens, includ- 
ing the “ fall” of 1847 at Braunau, Bohemia, the 
last one of the three (or perhaps four) iron 
meteorites seen to fall, and is one of the most 
valuable irons known. There is also a fine stone 
from the “fall” of 1803 at L’Aigle, France, 
especially interesting as being one of the first to 
establish the fact of meteoric falls. A knife 
(mounted in Chalcedony handle) made from the 
Augusta Co. iron, native terrestrial iron in Basalt 
from Greenland, and many others of interest 
might be mentioned. Seven large specimens of 
native Tellurium from the John Jay mine, Colo- 
rado, are worthy of special note, as is also the col- 
lection of diamonds, forty-seven in number, and 
containing many interesting forms — one octahe- 
dral twin globular form shows forty-eight faces, 
two cubes are built of octahedral twins; some 
are abnormal and some contain flaws and cavi- 
ties, and among the number are two black ones 
and two in the matrix, one a fine crystal in the 
gravel from Minas Geras, Brazil; and in addition 
to all these natural crystals are two cut diamonds. 
Among rarer forms are two valuable specimens 
of crystalized Greenockite, two fine crystals of 
Alexandrite and one cut stone, also crystalized 
Livingstonite and cryolite. Here also are the 
largest and best Allanite crystals ever found, as 
well as the best Sipylite (one of Dr. Mallet’s 
species). A fine series of Rutile from Magnet 
Cove, Georgia, and foreign localities, show all 
the forms in which this mineral csystalizes; one 
geniculated crystal measures fully three inches, 
and the rutilated quartz from North Carolina is 
the finest we have ever seen. Among the Tour- 
malines are fine crystals (as well as cut stones) of 
various colors, from Elba, Russia, Brazil, etc, ; 
and the topaz crystals and cut stones are equally 
fine, some curiously modified crystals from Mex- 
ico and-a twin from Russia are particularly no- 
ticeable. 
The Zeolites are well represented, but we will 
only mention one beautiful pink Apopbylite 
from Mexico. Further on we find Tantalite, and 
good specimens of Columbite, Microbite, and 
Monazite, one massive specimen of this last rare 
mineral weighs over a pound. Here also are some 
good Barcenites (another of Dr. Mallet’s species), 
a fine large lot of Wulfenite from Eureka, and a 
number of exceedingly rare and valuable crystal- 
lized specimens of Parisite. 
The collection also contains good specimens, 
crystalized and massive, of the following rare 
species : 
Francolite, Gadolinite, 
Domeykite, Mosandrite, 
Altaite, Brewsterite, 
Coloradoite, Uranotile, 
Hessite, (original locality) Killinite, 
Onofrite, Aspasiolite. 
Stephanite, Microlite, 
Nantokite, Aeshynite, 
Yttrocerite, Polycrase, 
Fluellite, Puckerite, 
Uraninite, Psittacinite, 
Gummite, Leadhillite, 
Pollucite, Caledonite, 
Euchroite, Apjohnite, 
Eudyalite, * Syngenite, 
Phenacite, Bismutliite, 
Helvite, 
The collection is particularly rich in gem min- 
erals and contains no less than one hundred cut 
stones: besides those already mentioned, those 
most worthy of notice, are the following: 
A choice series of Opals from Honduras, Hun- 
gary and Queensland, among them eight cut ones. 
Two beauties from Hungary were particularly 
prized by Dr. Mallet, and were considered by him 
the finest he had ever seen. Also two Fire Opals, 
five cut Chrysoberyls(one beautifully opalescent), 
two Triphane and two Hiddenite (both spodu- 
mene) the latter being an excellent substitute for 
the Emerald. Of the five cut Topaz, two are yel- 
low, two pink and one colorless. Six Tourmalines, 
pink, bluish green, yellowish green, and Brazil- 
ian; four Sapphires and one Star Sapphire, nine 
Rubies, one beautiful stone of the rare, deep 
color called “ Pigeon blood.” A blue and a yel- 
low Beryl; four Emeralds, one exceedingly deep 
rich colored one, and two aquamarines; also, 
numerous stones cut from Zircon, Enclase, 
Chrysolite, Turquoise, Andalusite, Garnet, Alex- 
andrite, Iolite, Moonstone, Lapis Lazali, False 
Topaz, Amethyst, Citrine, Cat’s eye, etc. 
The whole collection thus briefly noticed num- 
bers over three thousand specimens, and will be 
sold as a whole for $3,500. In the event of two 
or more institutions desiring it, it will go to the 
one that applies first. 
Address Ward & Howell, Rochester, N.Y. 
Elba Minerals. 
On his recent trip Mr. Howell was so fortunate 
as to be able to look over and select the best 
from the private collections of two men who 
have spent much time (one of them a number of 
years) on this interesting island. The result was 
that nearly the whole of their choice gatherings 
have been transferred to our drawers and store 
room here in Rochester. Anyone wanting to 
make a choice series of Hematites, Pyrites or Tour- 
malines (Bubellite) will do well to give us a call. 
Price of best single crystals of Pyrite and 
Hematite 25 cts. to $1. Groups $1 to $3, Rubell- 
ites $1 to $15. 
We can now furnish fine perfect stones of the 
Pultusk Meteorite for from $2 to $5, Moes from 
$3 to $10, Esthermlle from 75 cts. to $3, Toluca and 
other irons from $2 upwards. Our largest com- 
plete Toluca meteorite weighs a little over 21 lbs. 
MINERALOGY. 
During the past year we have added very 
largely in this department, and it is no exagera- 
tion to say 4hat at the present moment so large a 
stock of choice typical minerals can be found 
nowhere else in the world. By personal visits 
to the principal localities, we have been able to 
select our material, thus avoiding the collection 
of that which is poor, and by purchasing all 
good material readily obtainable, we have been 
able to make such advantageous arrangements 
that we are now prepared to offer our clients 
unusual facilities for completing their collections 
with choice specimens at rensonable rates. 
From this wealth of material we will select 
for special mention only the following: 
CROCIDOLXTE, 
From South Africa ; 
ITACOLUMITE, 
From India; 
Remarkably Fine Crystals of 
PINK TOURMALINE, 
PYRITE and HEMATITE, 
From the Isle of Elba ; 
LAFIS Ij A.ZUIj.1, 
Persia and South America ; 
MALACHITE, 
From the Ural Mountains. 
BOURNONITE, 
TETRAH1 DR1TE, 
BISMUTIIENITE, 
CHILDREN1TE, 
TORBERNITE, 
CHALCOC1TE, 
CALCITE, 
CHALCOTRICHITE, 
LINARITE, 
BARITE, 
MIMETITE, 
ARAGONITE, 
FLUORITE, 
BLENDE, | 
KIDNEY ORE, J 
Argentite, Hartz Mountains, Germany 
Brewsterite, Scotland; 
Boracite, Luneberg, Germany; 
Celestite, Girgenti, Sicily; 
Cobaltite, Tunaberg, Sweden; 
Coquimbite, Solfatara, Naples; 
Cerargyrite, Chili, S. A. ; 
Gold, Transylvania; 
Landscape Marble, Bristol, Eng; 
Pyrargyrite, Bohemia; 
Proustite, Chili, Saxony, Etc.; 
Pyromorphite, England, Nassau, Etc. 
Cornwall, Eng. 
-Cumberland, Eng. 
