The eastern fronts of the mountains are precipitous, while upon the west their declivities are more gentle. The Pine mountain, or Kaatsbergs, form the southwestern boundary. The principal peaks of the Catskill mountains are Round Top and High Peak, which have elevations from 3000 to 3800 feet above tide water.

RIVERS. The principal streams are Catskill creek, Kaaterskill, Schoharie kill, and Batavia kill. The Hudson forms its eastern boundary.

CLIMATE. This county has much diversity of climate. The peaks of the mountains are covered with snow nearly a month later than the valleys, and the summer is shorter, but when vegetation commences, it is more rapid than near the Hudson.

GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. The transition and red sandstone formations prevail in this county. The predominant rocks of the Catskill division are conglomerates, red and gray shales, slates, slaty and coarse grits; greenish gray and chocolate colored gray sandstone, known as the Catskill or North river flag stone, is abundant. The Helderberg range, consisting of water and common limestone and pyritous slate, predominates in the north portion of the county. The Hudson river group, composed of slate, shales, shaly and thick bedded grits occupies the eastern and southeastern part.

Copper, lead, zinc, iron and coal, have been found in small quantities. Calcareous spar and quartz crystals also occur.

VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The mountains are sterile-the uplands produce excellent grass, while the valleys are rich, yielding good crops of grain. The timber consists of oak, hickory, cherry, soft and sugar maple, and on the hills beech, birch, and in some places, spruce and hemlock. In the mountainous districts the trees are of great size.

PURSUITS. Agriculture is the principal pursuit of the inhabitants. Comparatively little grain is raised. The products of the dairy are large. Many of the farmers are turning their attention to wool growing, for which the county is well adapted.

Manufactures. Leather is manufactured to a greater amount than in any other county in the state. The other manufactures are flour, lumber, paper, fulled cloths, &c.

Commerce. Catskill, Athens, Coxsackie and New Baltimore, are largely engaged in the coasting trade.

The STAPLE PRODUCTIONS of the county are butter, oats, corn and buckwheat.

SCHOOLS. There were in this county, in 1846, 170 common schools, giving instruction to 9071 children, an average period of eight months each, at an expense for tuition of $13,147. The district libraries contained 19,713 volumes.

There were also thirty-three select schools, with 601 scholars; four academies and one female seminary, with seventy-seven students.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Dutch Reformed, Episcopalians, Friends, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Unitarians. There are in the county, sixtyfour churches, and sixty-four clergymen.

HISTORY. Greene county was settled in the latter part of the seventeenth century, by the Dutch. Cairo and Coxsackie were the principal settlements. Shortly before and after the revolution, many families removed from New England into the county, and a majority of the present inhabitants claim a puritan descent.

It is a matter of regret that so little effort has been made to investigate the early history of a county, undoubtedly possessing so much historic interest.

The Hardenburgh patent comprises most of the towns of Windham and Lexington.

Athens was laid out in part, in 1790, by Edward Brockholst Livingston, and E. C. Goodrich.

VILLAGES. CATSKILL VILLAGE, in the town of the same name, was incorporated in 1806. It is the seat of justice of the county, situated on the left bank of the Catskill creek, nearly one mile from the Hudson, and is principally built upon a single street, about half a mile in extent.

It is a port for steamboats and sloops, the creek being navigable from a short distance above the village, to the Hudson, opening a direct communication with the city of New York.

This village is sustained by a wealthy farming community in its own, and adjoining counties; also by a considerable manufacturing interest.

In the business season of the year, Main street, and the wharves indicate great activity in trade and commerce.

The prospect of the Hudson from this village is obscured by a high bluff running parallel with the river, yet this bluff affords desirable sites for residences, some of which are occupied and highly improved.

The location of this village is important, being the terminus of a number of stage routes, some of which communicate with the valley of the Susquehanna. Its public buildings are neat, and its general appearance that of industry. It has an academy, and a select school for young ladies. Population 3000.

Athens, in the town of the same name, pleasantly situated opposite the city of Hudson, was incorporated in 1805,-it is extensively engaged in manufactures, cspecially of brick and lime.

A considerable number of sloops are owned here, which ply to and from New York. A steam ferry connects it with the city of Hudson. Population 1500.

Coxsackie Landing, in the town of Coxsackie, is a thriving village, engaged in the coasting trade, and in the manufacture of brick. It has an academy of some note. Population 1500.

Prattsville, lying on the Schoharie kill, manufactures more leather than any town in the United States. It received its name from Hon. Zadoc Pratt, who established extensive tanneries here. The village is also engaged in other manufactures. Population 1200.

The "Mountain House," so widely celebrated as a summer resort for travellers, is within the limits of the town of Hunter, It is situated on the Pine Orchard, a peak of the Catskill mountains, twelve miles from the village of Catskill, and at an elevation of 2212 feet above the Hudson.

The prospect from this point is one of the most extensive and beautiful in the world. The majestic Hudson, with its green islets, its numerous sails. its cities, villages, and highly cultivated farms, is visible, on a clear day, for sixty miles in extent, while in the distance, the dim outlines of the Taghkanic mountains bound the horizon.

About two miles west of the "Mountain House" are the Kaaters kill Falls, upon a stream issuing from two lakes in the rear of the hotel. The waters leap over a perpendicular barrier, 175 feet, and pausing momentarily upon a rocky ledge, plunge down eighty-five feet more, and are hid from the view, in the dark ravine through which they seek the valley of the Catskill.

The scenery around, the deep green forests, the rugged cliffs, covered with ivy and summer foliage, and the extended prospect, add to the sublimity of the waterfall, and render this one of the most picturesque and magnificent scenes in nature.

New Baltimore, Cairo and Coxsackie are villages of some importance, in the towns of the same names.

Creeks. b. Black creek. c. Allen's d. Oak Orchard. r. Tonawanda. Falls on Allen's Creek in Le Roy.

Villages. BATAVIA. Le Roy.

BOUNDARIES. North by Orleans and Monroe; East by Monroe and Livingston; South by Wyoming; West by Erie and Niagara.

SURFACE. The surface of this county may be considered as a table land, inclined toward the north, and divided into two sections. The first embraces the northern portion, from five to eight miles in breadth, and includes the Tonawanda swamp. Separated from this by a rocky ridge, the second gradually rises to the southern boundary of the county.

RIVERS. The general direction of its streams is north-east and north-west, of which Tonawanda, Allen's, (so called after

Indian Allen who had his residence in this neighborhood,) Oak Orchard, Black and Murder Creeks, are the principal.

RAILROADS. The Tonawanda railroa, entering the county in the town of Bergen, has a southward course through Batavia, to Attica. The Batavia and Rochester connects this with the eastern lines.

CLIMATE. Mild, temperate and equable. At the early settlement of the county, intermittent and remittent fevers prevailed, but they are now very rare.

GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. The whole county is comprised in the transition formation. Its principal rocks are the different varieties of limestone, sandstone and calciferous and marly slate.

The minerals are few in number; the most important are gypsum, argillaceous iron ore, marl and peat.

SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is chiefly a sandy or gravelly loam, lighly productive in grass, summer crops, and especial y in wheat. The timber of the county is oak, elm, beach, maple, birch, &c. The maple is very abundant, yielding large quantities o sugar.

PURSUITS. The inhabitants are principally employed in agriculture. Wheat is extensively raised.

Manufactures. Flour, lumber, leather, woollen cloths, and potash, are the principal articles of manufacture.

Commerce. The railroads furnish the principal means of transportation within the county.

STAPLES. Wheat, potatoes, oats, wool, corn and butter. SCHOOLS. The county, in 1846, contained 166 district schools, which were in session an average period of nine months each, and were attended by 9,316 scholars. $12,506 was paid to teachers, and the libraries contained 19,458 volumes.

There were also seventeen private schools, attended by 431 pupils; three academies, and two female seminaries, with 360 students.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Universalists, Unitarians and Friends. The total number of churches is fifty; of clergymen, sixty-seven.

HISTORY. Nearly the whole of this county lies within the Holland Land Company's purchase, from whom the present inhabitants hold their titles. Some small tracts in the southern part of the county, still belong to the successors of that company.

A tract of 87,000 acres, comprising the towns of Sweden and Clarkson, in Monroe county, and part of Bergenand Le Roy, in