9

E.—7

uly 2. Determination of five rock specimens from Catlin's Eiver, sent by editor of Witness; the specimens were found to be quartrite and varieties of granite. July 12. Examination and report on a rock specimen from Chasland, Lower Catlin's, sent by Andrew Ohesney, supposed to contain some kind of metal; this proved to be coarsegrained, rather micaceous, sandstone, the mica having been mistaken for metal. July 15. Ore specimens sent by W. Hookey, Gibbston, proved to be stibnite with ceroanite and quartz. July 29. Black mineral from the western district of Southland, sent by Nicholas Winn, Otautau ; was supposed to be tin ore, but turned out to be magnetite. Oct. 8. White and yellow coating on rock specimens, sent by editor of Witness, proved to be alum and basic iron sulphate. Oct. 25. Two mineral samples—one friable and highly ferruginous, the other firm, less ferruginous and feeling soapy—sent by editor of Witness. These proved to be clay resembling bolus. Nov. 12. Sample of rock detritus supposed to contain gold, forwarded by editor of Witness, proved to be non-auriferous. Nov. 19. Mineral found in a gold-mine, sent by editor of Witness, proved to be mica (muscovite) of no value. Nov. 20. A sample of powdery mineral matter, sent by editor of Witness, proved to contain a considerable percentage of lime-carbonate, rendering it valuable for farming, but not rich enough in lime for mortar-making. Information and Reports on Various Subjects (furnished by myself and not charged for). Feb. 1. Information to editor of Witness about the characteristics of the metal thallium, its uses, market value, and demand. Feb. 8. Information to editor of Witness about suitable text-book for the study of geology. Mar. 11. Information to editor of Witness concerning the mode of occurrence and the nature of the rocks in which asbestos is found; also as to the outward appearance and the commercial value of the better varieties of the mineral. Mar. 30. Answer to query by editor of Witness about the use and value of mundic (iron pyrites). July 4. Information to Mr. W. Hookey, prospector, Gibbston, regarding certain ore specimens he found. Aug. 13. Answer to Mr. W. Hookey's query how to prosecute prospecting for auriferous quartz reefs. Aug. 21. Information to Mr. N. Winn, Otautau, about advisability of working a lode of magnetite and a pyrite-bearing quartz reef. Aug. 24. Information to Mr. E. McMoran, prospector, regarding minerals occurring and likely to occur in the Big Bay District, West Coast, Middle Island. Donations to the Mining Museum. P. Morgan, Director School of Mines, Waihi: Forty-five rock specimens and several pieces of auriferous quartz illustrating the rock formations of the Waihi District, North Island. F. B. Allen, Director Thames School of Mines: Five rock specimens and twenty-six specimens of minerals from the Thames District, including finely crystallized selenite, barite, brown spar, marcasite, &c. A. Sligo : Two specimens of massive cassiterite from North-Bast Dundas, Tasmania. H. Walcott, Curator, Melbourne Industrial Museum : A valuable collection of some thirty specimens of minerals from Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, and Queensland, many finely crystallized, including phacolite, analoime, genelite, &c. F. Kayser, Manager Mount Bischoff Tin-mine, Tasmania : Some twenty large specimens, comprising massive tin ore, topaz rock, green tourmaline, gossan, &c, being part of the collection shown in the last Dunedin Industrial Exhibition. The Chairman of the Mining Committee (Mr. Smith), last Industrial Exhibition : About thirty specimens of rather rare minerals* including crocoite, gibbsite, cerussite, axinite, &c, from the Mount Zeehan district, Tasmania; also chalcedony and opal, from the Canterbury Opal Mine, and a number of large pieces of massive copper ores from the Mount Lyell district, Tasmania. Captain Malcolm : About twenty large pieces of different rocks—gabbro, granite, amphibolite, &c. —collected on a prospecting tour from Milford Sound, across the ranges, to Lake Te Anau. Herbert Buckland : Specimen of wood converted into pyrite from the gold-drift of St. Batban's, Otago. A. Chisholm : A large number of rock-chips, from the Hauraki Goldfields, North Island, suitable for the class in petrography in preparing thin sections. J. M. McLaren, Director, Coromandel School of Mines : Several specimens of native arsenic and about a dozen specimens of rocks from the Coromandel district. W. Goolet: Two samples of stream tin, from the neighbourhood of Greymouth, West Coast; specimens of stibnite, arseno-pyrite, diallege, talo schist, chromite, schoelaceous granite, awaruite sand, native copper, and eight specimens of interesting rocks from the East Coast and the neighbourhoods of Greymouth and Nelson; also several crystals of cassiterite from Stewart Island. Charles Eilstone, Manager O.P.Q. Mine, Waipori: Pictorial map of workings on the Comstock lode, Nevada, United States, showing the new method of so-called "square timbering" for the support of large worked-out spaces. Most of the specimens enumerated have been labelled and arranged in the wall glass cases, the available free space in which is now becoming rather limited. On this account a special collection of fine mineral specimens has been arranged in a small glass case in the small lecture2—E. 7.