Review of the New York Geological Reports. 145 



the highest elevations, near the Pennsylvania line. The question, 

 therefore, as to the existence of coal within the boundaries of the 

 State, is at last fully settled, and a knowledge of this fact will 

 be the means of preventing many from embarking capital and 

 labor in fruitless attempts in search of this combustible. This is 

 the more especially important, since there are bituminous shales 

 amongst the New York strata, which are apt to mislead the un- 

 wary, and have already caused not a little disappointment to en- 

 terprising citizens. The absence of coal is a matter which the 

 inhabitants have truly to deplore. Since, however, it exists in 

 Pennsylvania, not far from the State line, and the means of 

 transportation are daily increasing, New York can be easily and 

 cheaply supplied from the inexhaustible stores of her neighbor- 

 ing State. 



Primary system. — The non-fossiliferous rocks, both crystal- 

 line and stratified, are confined to an irregular, circular area, in 

 the northeast, and a small triangular corner in the southeast, cov- 

 ering, in all, about one-third of the State. On the geological 

 chart, they are all included in one color, a pink, and denominated 

 " Primary system." 



The prevailing rock in this system is gneiss. Granite exists, 

 but it is unimportant, both as regards its extent and economical 

 relations. The hypersthene, on the contrary, though long sup- 

 posed not to be an American rock, was found by Dr. Emmons to 

 occupy a triangular area extending over nearly the whole of Es- 

 sex county, and to be traversed by valuable beds and veins of 

 magnetic oxide of iron, probably in larger and more extensive 

 masses than any in the United States. 



Besides the above rocks, there exist in the northern primary 

 region, primitive limestone, serpentine, Rensselaerite, hornblende, 

 sienite, talc, or steatite, porphyry, and trap. 



Of all these, the hypersthene rock and primary limestone are 

 the most important, in an economical point of view ; the former 

 on account of the rich beds and veins of iron ore, the latter as 

 affording materials for constructions and agriculture. 



Taconic system. — On the extreme eastern boundary of the 

 State, and extending into Yermont and Massachusetts, is a sys- 

 tem of rocks lying locked in between the New England primary, 

 on the east, and the lowest fossil-bearing rocks of New York, on 

 the west. Dr. Emmons endeavors to show, that these rocks form 



Vol. xlvi, No. 1.— Oct.-Dec. 1843. 19 



