Gem Minerals in Museums 251
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clearly and as no other device possibly could do. Visitors to the
museum who are in the jewelry trade are likely to view with particular
interest the choice specimens of gold exhibited in desk case No. 1,
where it appears in sheets like rolled metal; in plates, with
crystallised edges; in braided filaments made up of minute octahedrons
with hollow faces; in twisted plates frequently attached to quartz,
around which it curls like some irregular yellow flower; besides which
there are cavernous, skeleton, and pitted crystals; peculiar
distortions; reticulated and tree-shaped groups with spongy masses; and
rounded water-worn nuggets. Case No. 27 also contains the fine
collection of the New York Mineralogical Club of specimens of minerals
occurring on Manhattan Island; these include garnets, zircon, and
tourmalines and a few other gem minerals, although not all of gem
quality.
In
the south end of the small hall is the collection of gems which, while
it is not as broadly representative of the semi-precious stones as it
could be, provides an ocular demonstration of the appearance of
typical gem minerals of good colour and qualities, advantageously cut.
A brief visit to this collection, as a supplement to the study of gems
through
