On the Mineralogy of New York Island. 185 

 XXIII.— On the Mineralogy of New York Island. 



By S. C. H. Bailey. 

 Read June 20, 1865. 



To one not familiar with the mineralogy of our island, it will 

 seem scarcely credible, that a larger number of species have 

 been found upon it than at the famous Lamoe Rock of Norway, 

 or in the prolific mines of Arendahl ; larger than the noticed 

 lists of those found at Haddam or Franklin, or any single 

 locality in the United States. 



Here, in a city without mines, or even quarries, other than 

 such as have been wrought in the requirements of building, as 

 foundation stones, or in regulating the grade of streets, and 

 where, with the exception of a few deep rock cuttings, we have 

 merely scratched the surface, more than one-twentieth of the 

 known mineral species have been found. 



But if there has been much of this cutting of the crust of 

 our rock formation, it should also be remarked, that by far the 

 larger number of specimens, perhaps some as yet unnoticed 

 species, may have been disclosed, only to be at once buried 

 again beneath a mass of rubbish, for so rapid is the progress in 

 excavating for sewers, streets, and building sites, that what is 

 thrown out one day is often covered up, or carted away the 

 next. And it will also be borne in mind, that the workmen 

 engaged in this labor are not, like the miners of Cornwall or 

 Saxony, always on the alert for specimens, known to them to 

 be worth saving. 



Yet with all these drawbacks to the full knowledge or the 

 development of our resources, we present a list which ought to 

 make our citj famous as a mineral locality. As it is, whatever 

 of fame belongs to our island as a locality is due to the zeal of 

 a few individuals, who have taken an interest in collecting such 

 specimens as may be found. 



The number of our species is not, as is the case with many 



