The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-04-24

The NATURAL llIsTORY OF New YORK.
An intelligent correspondent of the Albany
Argus vindicates the expenditures which have
beer made in the prosecution of this impor-
tant State work. 1t was originally designed
to have three octave volumes of Trint and a
volume of maps and plates, instead of which
there are now fifteen quarto volumes complct
ed, and materials for two more are ready for
the press. The expenditure has already run
up to S4I3, 1000, and the Legislature now in
session, have been called upon to make an adj
iitional appropriation. The work was recon-
mitted by General Dix in 1896 A.; but the orig
inal plan was modified at the joint suggestion
of Gov. Seward and MIR. Rug.lcs For four
wears past, the work has called forth the az
tive energies of ten or twelve scientific gen
tlemcn. The results are Il complete work of
the Zoology, (with the exception of cntomol-
ogy,) Botany, hlineralogy and Geology. The
geological volumes have made known the
most interesting region for gcological investi-
CATION in the known world and New York, 1t
is said, will always be cited rs giving the key
to the geology OF the United States. The
writer saws =
The original plan of the work contemplate
ed no illustrations in Zoology or Botany, but
We have volume on the mammalia, with
more than thirty plates, one upon the birds
with more than 40 plates, and one on fishes
and reptiles, with a Volume of 100 plates. and
a volume on shells, with 60 plates We have
two volumes on botany with l2O plates, and Il
large portion Of all these plates are colored
Scarcely any person reflects upon the fact
that the Natural History OF New York, is one
of the most fully Illustrated works ever pub
lished on the subject, and the immense cdi-
ton Of 5000 copies, far greater than the num-
Der ever before published of any illustrated
work of the kind in the country. Even ;he
weight of the paper alone amounts to more
than enc hundred tons. The number CT en-
grayed plates of quarto size, is more than
| 900, every one of which is repeated 5000
times in the entire editions
The geological structure of orr state was al
most entirely unknown, and the belief that
coal existed in many places, was 4 strong in-
centiYc to the commencement of Geological
Survey If nothing more had been decided
by the Gcologists, than the fact that coal does
not exist within the limits of the state, the
whole expenditure would have been well ap-
piled. In tie statistics collected during the
frs: year of the survey, it was ascertaincd that
half a million of dollars had becr expcndt d
in the valley of the Hudson alone, in useless
mining enterprises for the discovery of coal.
Probably rs much more had been expended in
other parts Of the state up to the period when
the survey commenced. At the present time
such enterprises are rare, and among those
knowing the results of the survey arc not
countenanced at ALL
The survey has been going on for twelve
years, and the progress of the work since
1885 81. is SGT forth as follows
"The survey was commenced in 1856, but
not fully organized till the next wear. In 1913
the geological exploration had been complet-
ed, and four volumes with maps and sections
fully illustrating our own geology and its rcla-
ton to the surrounding states had been pub
iished, together with one volume on the miner
alogy. Five on the Zoology and two on Bot
any were completed during that wear and the
following one. There is not an example, eth /
er in this country or elsewhere, where so much
has been published in 50 short time, where
the labor of original investigation in science
has been made in connexion with the rub!ica-
ton. Up to the year 1871 inclusive, the an
nual reports Of the persons engaged had kept
The Legislature and the people apprised Of the I
progress of tine work. The materials for a
final publication had been accumulatine during I
the period Of the commencement Of the work |
ard thus large numbered volumes Of tie fl |
nal work were completed and placed before |
the people at the SAME time.
A law of the Legislature distributed these
volumes to the people Of the state II merel, !
nominal prices, and they are now for the most
part in hands where ;hey are producing good
effects in disseminating correct knowledge Of
natural science and the economical resources
of the state"-N. Y Express.
-One Of these VOLUMES that Ornitholasy- has cost
alone in its expense scarcely less Thar So 900.
BRILLIANT SPIRITs.-It is a strange