No. 124.] 
3 
1843, such of the various departments of labor connected with the 
geological survey of this State, as might be necessary to ensure its 
ultimate completion and publication, according to the plan thereto- 
fore contemplated ; and the further sum of twenty-six thousand dol- 
lars was appropriated by that act, to defray such expenses asshould 
be incurred under that act, and to pay for the materials furnished and 
the services rendered under the act of 1840. , The Secretary of 
State was directed to secure a copy-right of the geological survey, 
and the Governor and Secretary were authorized, when two or more 
volumes of the geological survey should be published, to cause such 
books to be sold, at such prices as they might deem expedient. 
Under this act, the geologists continued their labors, and the pub- 
lication of the volumes of the Natural History of the State was con- 
tinued. At what time the publication commenced, the committee 
have not the data to determine. It appears that an edition of three 
thousand copies was determined upon, and that number printed ; but 
upon what authority, is not known to the committee. In pursuance 
of the directions or authority given in said last mentioned act, the 
(tovernor and Secretary entered into an agreement, on the 23d Sep- 
tember, 1842, with three firms of booksellers, as is believed ; to 
wit : D. Appleton, & Co. ; Wiley & Putnam, and Gould, Kendall 
& Lincoln, parties of the second part, to the agreement ; by which 
it was agreed, that the parties of the second part should take charge 
of and sell and dispose of the work entitled " Natural History of 
New-York," at certain prices and on certain terms, specified in the 
agreement, which will be found in Assembly Document No. 87, for 
1844, page 18. For their expense and trouble, the parties of the 
second part were to retain twenty per cent of the avails ; and the 
work was to be delivered to their order, at Albany. They also 
agreed to re-deliver, on three months notice, to the Governor and 
Secretary, all the unsold copies of said work. Under this agree- 
ment, some copies of the said work have been delivered to the said 
parties of the second part, as will appear at page 20 of the same 
Document. This agreement is believed to be yet in force ; and that 
the Governor and Secretary have not given any notice for the re- 
delivering of the books. 
The Legislature, on the 26th May, 1841, passed a concurrent re- 
solution, by which it was resolved, among other things, that one copy 
