A GEOLOGICAL HISTORY. 29 



garly called " the Tombs," stands near what was 

 once the middle of this small lake. 



The second pond of any size was called " Pow- 

 der-house pond," and was a little west of Kipp's 

 Bay, near where 32nd Street crosses the 4th Av- 

 enue. There was a small pond on the Green- 

 wich road, now Greenwich Street, near where 

 Provost Street crosses it, called " Higby's pond," 

 and another where St. John's church now stands, 

 in the rear of Mr. Lispenard's place, called the 

 " Cat-fish pond," I have seen cat-fish (Silurus cot- 

 tus, of Mitchill,) in this pond, but do not think 

 they originated there. 



There is now, on the Kingsbridge road about 

 half a mile north of Harsenville another pond,* 

 at this pond a few years ago the bull-frog (Rana 

 Maxima, of Catesby,) took up his abode, I have 

 never seen this Batracian on any other part of the 

 island : a brook from this pond runs into ano- 

 ther pond, between the road and the Hudson 

 River. These are the principal ponds on the 

 island. 



Swamps and Salt Marshes. — Under the old 



* Since writing the above, I have been informed by Major Leconte, 

 that these two ponds were artificially made; the one on the east side of 

 the road, by the British, during the Revolutionary War ; the one on the 

 west side by the proprietor of the land : but that there was here a natu- 

 ral stream or brook I have no doubt. 



