and other geological features, with the plants, insects, reptiles, fish, birds, and beasts, inhabiting the land and water. The descriptions partake of the popular style, to a considerable extent, in order that the common reader may not be debarred from the perusal, by language too strictly technical. The last volumes are soon to appear. The following general views of the regions, climates, and animals of the state, we abridge from those reports. New York lies within the temperate zone, in an irregular triangle, with its apex on the Atlantic, and its sides on the western border of New England, the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario, and the northern boundaries of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Long island forms a sandy spur, extending from the harbor of New York, eastward, about one hundred and fifty miles. Including Long island, the state extends through eight degrees of longitude, and from forty degrees and three minutes, to forty-five degrees, of north latitude, with more than forty-six thousand square miles. It covers a surface greater than Poland, Scotland, or Naples and Sicily; three times larger than Switzerland, and almost equal to England. It is nearly in the latitude of Italy, the south of France, and the north of Spain; and resembles them in the heats of summer; but yet the winters are as severe as those of the northern countries of Europe. The mean length of the winter in ten years was one hundred and sixtyfive days, or about five months; and the mountains, although none of them exceed the height of five thousand feet, have a much colder climate than corresponding elevations in Europe. Within the boundaries, are animals, which are found, in the old world, only at great distances from each other; as the Cervidæ and Mustelidæ of the south of Europe, and the Muride and Vespertilionidæ of the north. There are four districts, distinguished by geographical peculiarities, and not less by zoological. 1. The Western District, bounded on the east by the Mohawk valley, and is chiefly elevated on the Allegany table land, furrowed by valleys lying north and south, once probably outlets of an inland ocean. The descent westward is sudden, to Lake Erie; while ten or twelve small lakes in the middle are drained by the Genesee river, and visited by salmon from Lake Ontario. The great lakes have much influence on the climate. Here are found the northern lynx, with the deer-mouse and porcupine. Streams flow from this district to the Mississippi, and to the Susquehannah and Delaware. 2. The Northern District has mountains, some five thousand feet in height. with Lake Champlain, one hundred and forty miles long; and is inhabited by several fur-bearing animals: the sable and beaver, and also by the mouse and the wolverine. It is the southern limit of migration of many of the arctic birds, as the Canada jay, spruce-grouse, swan, raven, and arctic woodpecker. 3. The Hudson Valley District lies in the form of an inverted L; and, though small, it is highly interesting, as it contains many of the animals of the adjacent New England states, while on the west it has the Catskill mountains, some of which rise four thousand feet, and are still the habitation of wolves, deer, panthers, and bears. The Erie canal has brought into the Hudson the softshelled turtle and the rock bass from the lakes; as the yellow perch and the muskalonge have found their way from Lake Erie to the Mississippi through the Ohio canal. The southern part of this district teems with inhabitants of the ocean. It is remarkable that some species of animals find the Hudson their natural eastern boundary, as the opossum, chainsnakes, brown swift, buzzard, and several other birds, come to its western borders, but never cross it. cross it. At the same time, there are some species which abound in the counties on the eastern side, but are never seen on the western. 4. The Atlantic District, or Long Island, runs about one hundred and fifty miles northeasterly, with a mean breadth of ten miles, having low sand hills in the northern part, only in one place three hundred feet high. The bear, wolf, and otter, have been exterminated : expected, the influence of Christianity | remain long in peace. is strongly exhibited, as the grand civilizing agent, and lessons of an important character are given, well calculated to guide philanthropists in their future undertakings in favor of the much-neglected, abused, and belied race of red men. The reader must be referred for information on the history of this state in all its different periods and epochs, to the following authors among many others: Colden, Smith, Clinton, Campbell, Yates, Moulton, &c. Barber's volume is well adapted to the common reader, abounding in local descriptions and anecdotes, illustrated with many engravings. We have here merely room to allude to the chief events in the early history of the colony. Henry Hudson, an Englishman in the service of the Dutch East India company, discovered the Hudson river in 1609, and ascended it about one hundred and sixty miles. It was in consequence of this discovery, that the Dutch laid claim to the territory on both sides of the river, and called it New Netherlands. The position now known as Albany, was, in 1613, named by the few Dutch who discovered it and built a fort there, Fort Orange; and in the next year, several trading-houses were erected upon Manhattan island (now New York), to which they gave the name of New Amsterdam. The English were not well pleased by what they considered the intrusions of the Dutch. They claimed that this part of the territory properly belonged to Virginia; and, in the same year, Captain Argal came with a fleet of three ships, and demanded the surrender of the fort. They submitted without resistance, because their numbers were very few. But a new governor arrived from Holland, and the Dutch would allow the authority of the English no longer, and they retained possession until 1664. They built Fort Good Hope on the Connecticut, at Hartford, and another on the Delaware, and then claimed a right to all the extensive regions between these two rivers. But the Indians did not let the Dutch In 1646, a battle was fought at a place called Strick-land's plain; and the savages were defeated with great slaughter. The colonies of New Haven and Connecticut were at this time disputing with the Dutch; but, in 1650, a treaty was made at Hartford, by which the Dutch gave up their claim to the territory belonging to those colonies, except the part which they then occupied. Five years after this the Swedes, who had settled on the west side of the Delaware river, were attacked and subdued by the Dutch governor, Stuyvesant, with a fleet of seven ships. But ere long, the Dutch were met again by their old enemies the English. In 1664, in consequence of the grant which Charles II. had given to his brother, the duke of York and Albany, and which secured to him all the lands owned by the Dutch, a squadron appeared in the harbor of New York, which was commanded by Colonel Nichols. Colonel Nichols. A surrender was immediately demanded by the English, who promised to secure the rights of life and property to the inhabitants. The governor wished to make resistance, but the inhabitants prevailed upon him to submit. The English thus took possession, and called it New York, in honor of the duke of York; and not long after Fort Orange was also taken, and named Albany. Nichols now became governor; and his administration was mild and successful. We have not room to notice the successive governors of the colony, nor the various events which distinguished the successive periods, through the contests between England and other powers, which had more or less influence on this side of the Atlantic. We can only refer, in their places, to some leading events in the French and the Revolutionary wars, and in that with England of 1812. ALBANY.-This city presents several superior claims to our attention. In point of history it is the oldest settlement by Europeans on the Hudson for, unusual as it is in founding colonies, the mouth of the stream was not occupied |