Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-12-30
NATURAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK.


We are pleased to notice the appearance of
two additional volumes of the Reports of the
New-York Survey, viz: volume by Prof.
LEWIS c. BECK. being report relating to the
Mineralogy Of the State, and the first volume
Of Geology by L. VANuxEM The report OF DR..
Beck ls one OF great neatness, and is precisely
what 1t should be, an exact account of all the
species of mineral heretofore discovered in New
York, together with brief notices of those which
have not been discovered within the limits Of
the State. 1t therefore forms in itselfa Mineral
ogical Treutise, and inasmuch as it is richly il.
Illustrated with wood cuts Of the crystalline forms
It becomes one of the most valuable books of re
ference ever published in this country. The
cuts accompany tho text, and hence become
easy Of reference, but, in addition to this, they
have been Collected together in the form Of
plates where all those forms of the same kind
with their various notifications, may be compar-
ed with each other. Their measurements are
given on an opposite page The arrangement,
is therefore not only the most convenient, bu,
the most useful which can be devised, and can.
not fail to meet the appreciation Of scientific meu
| throughout the country.
| The Report is divided into two parts. Tho
| first is entitled Economical Mineralogy. The
object of the author in this part, as stated in his
| preface, has been to lay before the public pop.
ular account of all the useful mineral products
| of the State, particularly those of iron, copper
| lead, manganese, gypsum and water lime. This
| object, we rejoice to say, has been fully attained
our iron, lead and copper ores, have been exam.
ined with great care, SO that now so far as com.
position is concerned we may consider our knowl.
edge as complete.
| The second part is entitled Descriptive Min.
| cralogy and contains detailed description nj
| the various species of minerals hitherto found in
| New York, with all their varieties and their
principal localities. In scientific point of view
this is the most important part, and will at once
become the standard of reference upon this i'm
portant subject
The size of the Report is such as cannot fai
to commend tselft to the public; and its whole
execution, in all its parts, is of superior char
| acter.
The volume of Geology, by Lardner Vanux
EN-, though thinner, and not SO fully illustrated
constitutes most valuable stock to our knowl
edge of the geology Of the western counties
The position of the salt, gypseous and waite
lime rocks. are here distinctly defined and illus
trated 1t is quite full in its economical all
scientific details.
The fossils are illustrated in the text by on
hundred and thirty wood cuts. Many c
them are here for the first time made known
the public in addition to which the geologlca
phenomena are also quite fully illustrated in tn
same way.
In concluding our brief notice of the Geolog
cal Reports, it has appeared to US that the wor
as published, forms very suitable HOLIDAY {
New Years gift; that gentlemen who wish
present valuable work to their sons, cannot Sc
lect one so appropriate as this. The entir
work will probably consist, as we are informe
Of twelve quarto volumes, which in themselvt
form library of useful knowledge relating
the natural history Of New York.