FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. 
On the Geological Survey of the Third District of 
thie State of New- York, by T. A, Conrad. 
In consequence of the very Jimited period in which we have 
been employed in a geological survey of the Third District, and 
the necessity of making a rapid reconnoisance of the whole series 
of rocks, in order to gain that knowledge of their general distri- 
bution and order of superposition, without which detailed obser- 
vations would be useless, we cannot at present add much to the 
store of information already acquired by the community) which 
has particular reference to practical utility. In a scientific point 
of view, the rocks are of peculiar interest, and it will require 
much time and minute observation to ascertain all the valuable 
minerals they may contain, and what they may be expected to 
yield to industry and enterprise when their relations in geological 
data to European formations shall be accurately determined. — 
What has hitherto been published relative to the geology of the 
district, with the exception of the judicious observations of Dr. 
James Eights, published in the Zodiac, has tended more to confuse 
the ideas of an inquirer than to impart correct information. All 
we can safely communicate at present are the outlines of the seve- 
ral formations in our district, and a brief discription of some of 
the most important strata, now a source of profit to individuals 
and the State. In a tour of less than three months, which time 
was necessarily devoted to investigations of a scientific nature 
over a wide area, it was not expected that the hidden resources of 
the earth would be brought to light. Geological investigations are 
laborious, and time only can ripen the fruits of diligent research. 
This reconnoisance, therefore, being preparatory to a regular 
and minute examination of the geology of our district, was chief- 
ly of a scientific nature. It objects were to determine the number, 
