276 
[Assembly 
In the State of New- York, it is sufficient to refer the reader to the 
geological reports, particularly those of Professors Beck, Mather and 
Hall. The species occurs abundantly in the primary parts of New- 
England, but never in wide or extensive veins or beds. Upon the 
whole, it may be considered as one of the most widely distributed mi- 
nerals known, and the most common form under which the iron ore 
occurs. 
SECTION V. 
Question relative to the nature of the repositories of Magnetic Oxide. 
The determination of this question has required a series of observa- 
tions on all the important known localities of this ore. I have been 
desirous of putting the question to rest, both on account of the practi- 
cal importance of the question itself, and on account of the bearing it 
has on the origin of the ore, or those theoretical considerations con- 
nected with its original formation. There are many geologists who 
consider the repositories as beds, or an accumulation of mineral mat- 
ter in irregular shaped couches. That some of the repositories are 
veins, no one can doubt, and there can be but little doubt in relation 
to all those minor collections of ore, as the whole width, direction, 
walls, &c. are frequently exposed by the operations of mining. It is 
in those cases where the development of ore is on so large a scale 
that its relative connexions remain concealed by earth or rock. With- 
out resorting to the argument drawn from analogy, I may state directly 
the facts which bear upon the question under consideration. 
1st. The direction of the masses of ore is rarely, for any great dis- 
tance, parallel Avith the strata, or with the mountain ranges, when en- 
closed in rocks which are unstratified. They are, for a short distance, 
often parallel, but by an offset are thrown into other layers, either to 
the right or left, between which they preserve their course for a time, 
when they are again rocked, as it were, from between the last layers 
into a new position. According to Mr. Mather, this change occurs of- 
ten in the repositories of the magnetic oxide in the highlands of the 
Hudson. 
2nd. In the immediate vicinity of veins of ore which run nearly pa- 
rallel with the strata or mountain ranges, others occasionally occur, 
running directly across the strata, which of course possess all the cha- 
racteristics of true veins. 
