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NIAGARA of the fall must then be reduced to about 80 ft. On both sides of the river, and especially on Goat island, are beds of sand, gravel, and clay, evidently deposited by running water, con- taining great numbers of fresh-water shells of the same genera and species as those now living in the river and deposited along its banks, such as the unio, cyclas, limnea, planorbis, val- vata, and melania. These strata reach to the height of 40 ft. above the top of the fall, and are met with in occasional patches at the same level near the edges of the precipice for 4 m. below. They show that the waters must have spread over a wide area and been kept back by some high barrier between the whirlpool and Lewiston. The bowlder or drift forma- tion underlies the fluviatile strata, thus refer- ring their formation to the latest geological period. The most complete accounts of Niag- ara falls are contained in the report of Prof. Hall, and in vol. i. of " Travels in North Amer- ica," by Sir Charles Lyell. See also "Niagara, its History, Geology, and Poetry," by George W. Holley (New York, 1871). NIAGARA, a W. county of New York, bounded N. by Lake Ontario, S. by Tonawanda creek, and W. by Niagara river ; area, about 500 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 50,437. The surface is un- dulating, except on the border of the lake, where it is low and level. The soil is produc- tive and highly cultivated. It is traversed by the New York Central railroad and branches, and by the Erie canal. The chief productions in 1870 were 961,303 bushels of wheat, 396,- 642 of Indian corn, 790,243 of oats, 215,988 of barley, 236,026 of potatoes, 296,458 Ibs. of wool, 25,463 of hops, 1,392,038 of butter, 57,- 596 of cheese, and 52,916 tons of hay. There were 12,218 horses, 11,594 milch cows, 7,952 other cattle, 53,362 sheep, and 11,964 swine. The number of manufacturing establishments was 421, employing $2,968,605 capital; value of products, $5,411,933. The most important were 16 flour mills, 25 saw mills, 2 woollen mills, 6 manufactories of agricultural imple- ments, 32 of carriages and wagons, 51 of coop- erage, 1 of edge tools, 1 of glass ware, 1 of hosiery, 6 of forged and cast iron, 7 of ma- chinery, and 2 of paper. Capital, Lockport. NIAGARA, a town of Niagara co,, New York, on the Niagara river, extending above and be- low the falls ; pop. in 1870, 6,832. It contains two incorporated villages, Niagara Falls, at the falls, and Suspension Bridge, formerly Niagara City, about a mile below. Their prosperity depends largely upon the great numbers of tourists that resort to the falls. NIAGARA FALLS (pop. in 1870, 3,006) is connected with Buffalo and Suspension Bridge by branches of the Erie and New York Central railroads, and with Drummondville on the Canadian side of the river by a suspension bridge. It contains a paper mill, two grist mills, several planing mills and machine shops, including the repair shops of the New York Central railroad, a banking and exchange office, four large and NIBELUNGENLIED 419 seven smaller hotels, two public school build- ings with graded schools, a young ladies' in- stitute, a weekly newspaper, and five churches. SUSPENSION BRIDGE (pop. in 1870, 2,276) is the port of entry of the collection district of Niagara. It is one of the western termini of the New York Central railroad, and is con- nected with Clifton (the eastern terminus of the Great Western railroad) on the Canadian side of the river by a suspension bridge for railroad and ordinary travel. It contains a grist mill and some small manufacturing shops, a banking and exchange office, one large and eight smaller hotels, a public school building with graded schools, two weekly newspapers (one masonic), and three churches. NIASSA. SeeNYAssA. NIBELUNGENLIED, or Nibelungennot, an old Ger- man epic poem,, embodying several cycles of heroic traditions. Its legends form a large part of the Heldensagen of Germany, and are found with various modifications in other Germanic and Scandinavian poems. It begins by telling how King Gtinther in Worms reigned over the Burgundians. He had a sister, Chriemhild, the world's wonder, of rare grace and beauty. She forswears marriage in consequence of a dream ; but the gallant Sigfried, who had van- quished the ancient fabulous royal race of the Nibelungen, and taken away their immense treasures of gold and gems, comes to Worms to woo her. He is welcomed, triumphs over all the knights who venture to meet him, wins her heart by his valor, but has begun to despair of success when Giinther hears of the beautiful and redoubtable Brunehild, queen of Isenland, and resolves to stake his fortune as her suitor. The condition is that he shall engage in three combats with her, and if vanquished be put to death. Sigfried accompanies and aids him, being promised the hand of Chriemhild if suc- cessful. The united heroes reach their desti- nation after a voyage of twelve days. Brune- hild appears in the lists with a shield of beaten gold, so heavy that four of her chamberlains can scarcely bear it. Gtinther is in despair, when the touch and voice of an invisible per- son by his side give him courage for the fight. The same person seizes his arm, hurls the spear, and flings the stone, till the martial maid con- fesses herself vanquished, and bids her vas- sals do homage to Gunther. Sigfried, the real winner of the contest, who had been made in- visible by his magic cap, receives for his re- ward the hand of Chriemhild, and the two marriages are celebrated amid the utmost pomp and rejoicing. Dissension ensues between the queen and her sister-in-law. Sigfried con- trives to obtain the girdle of the former, and to present it to the latter, who afterward tells the whole tale of her husband's valor, and charges her rival with love for him and infi- delity. The queen vows revenge, and secures the aid of the fierce Hagen, who skilfully draws from Chriemhild the secret of the spot where alone Sigfried was mortal, and soon after