Grdlogij of Rich iiioml ('uioilji. S. Y. 161 



XL — On the (icologji of .RirhmoHd ('ounly, X. Y. 



BY X. L. 15K1TT0X. 



Head Aiiril 4th. 1881. 



Eichnioiicl County, or fStaten Lslaiid. is the most southeastern 

 portion of the State of KeAV York. It is bounded on the north 

 by Newark Bay and the Kill yon Kull ; on the east by the Up- 

 per and Lower Bays of NeAv York, and. the Narrows ; on the 

 south by Earitan Bay, and on the west by Arthur Kill. The 

 area thus enclosed by these bodies of water forms an irregular 

 triangle, and according to the best authorities contains about 

 fifty-nine square miles. Its population, as given by the census 

 of 1880, is 38,994. or 661 per square mile. Its length is thir- 

 teen and one-half miles, and its breadth about seven miles. 



Topography. — Tlie surface of the county is decidedly rough. 

 A range of hills, having an average height of over two hundred 

 feet, extends from the northeastern extremity at New Brighton, 

 through the central part of the island to the county-seat, Rich- 

 mond. These hills are six miles long, vary from one and one- 

 half to two and one-quarter miles wide, and are capped with 

 magnesian rocks. 



Another well-marked series of hills begins at the Narrows, 

 and ranges westwardly until it meets the first mentioned ridge 

 near Garretson's Station. It follows the course of this ridge as 

 far as New Dorp, and there diverging from it runs in a southerly 

 direction to Prince's Bay. Here these hills bend to the west- 

 ward for a short distance, but again take a southerly course and 

 end on the shore of Arthur Kill opposite Perth Amboy. This 

 Second series of hills is about one mile aud a half wide, near the 

 Narrows, and rises to a height of one hundred and fifteen feet 

 in places, while between the Great Kills and Prince's Bay their 

 width is as great as three miles, but they are seldom over seventy- 

 five feet high. These elevations are composed of rounded bould- 



