54 [Assembly 
the occurrence of the beds of limestone may be referred, or whether 
these minerals originally entered into the composition of the rocks them- 
selves, it is not my province to inquire. 
View of the Mineralogy of the different counties in 
the State^ alphabetically arranged. 
ALBANY COUNTY. 
This county was examined in 1820, in reference to its Geology, 
Mineralogy, &:c. by my brother, Dr. T. Romeyn Beck, and Professor 
Eaton, at the expense of the late Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer, whose 
name is in some measure identified with the progress of the Natural 
Sciences in this State. The published report of that survey contains 
a catalogue of the minerals which had up to that time been found in 
the county. Among the most useful of these are, bog iron ore, which 
is found in various places : marl, which occurs in the town of Bethle 
hem, and is of good quality, and water limestone, found in the same 
town, and which might probably be used as a cement. In the city of 
Albany is a spring which evolves carbonic acid, and contains ingredi- 
ents similar to those found in the celebrated springs of Ballston and 
Saratoga. This spring is further interesting from the fact that both 
carburetted and sulphuretted hydrogen gases are given out through the 
same boring, although they have their origin at different depths. There 
are also several sulphur springs in this county, but they are not so 
highly charged with gas as many others. 
The following is an enumeration of the remaining minerals found in 
this county : 
Anthracite — One or two localities where cabinet specimens may be 
obtained. 
Bitumen — Floating on the surface of springs. 
Calcareous Spar — Many localities, especially in the towns of Beth- 
lehem and Knox, Under this head I include also tufa, stalactite, Sec. 
Sulphate of Lime — In needle-form crystals on hmestone, in the 
Helderberg. 
Quartz — Fibrous and crystallized, in the fissures of slate and grey- 
wacke, especially at Crystal Hill, three miles south of the city. 
Ferruginous Quartz, Jasper, Coarse Agate, Basanite and Horn- 
stone — All these varieties of quartz are occasionally found. 
