SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                            WASHINGTON D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 8-K

                                CURRENT REPORT




Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) - December 12,
1997



                       NORTH  FORK BANCORPORATION, INC.
          (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

	




Delaware			                       1-10458		            36-3154608
(State or other jurisdiction	   	(Commission		         (IRS Employer
of incorporation)		     	         File Number)		       Identification No.)




275 Broad Hollow Road
Melville, New York					                                  	11747
(Address of principal executive offices)		       	      (Zip Code)





Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (516) 844-1004

 
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ITEM 5.    OTHER EVENTS

	

	North Fork Bancorporation, Inc. announced today that it has
completed the acquisition of Branford Savings Bank.   The
acquisition of Branford has been  treated as a tax free exchange
and reflected as a purchase for financial reporting purposes.  
North Fork  issued approximately 1.3 million shares of Common
Stock at an exchange ratio of 0.1957 shares of North Fork Common
Stock for each share of Branford Voting and Non-voting Common
Stock outstanding.  North Fork has also made a cash payment of
approximately $3.0 million to the holder of all outstanding
Branford Warrants in accordance with the terms specified in the
Agreement and Plan of Merger.    

	At September 30, 1997,  Branford had total assets of
approximately $180 million, deposits of $162 million, and
stockholders' equity of $18 million and operates through five
branch locations in New Haven County, Connecticut.   The press
release, issued by the Registrant  on December 9, 1997 and
previously filed on Form 8-K dated December 9, 1997, described
herein is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is hereby
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.  



ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION
AND EXHIBITS





(a)	Financial Statements of the Business Acquired.
	Not Applicable


(b)	Pro Forma Financial Information
	Not Applicable


(c)	Exhibits
	99.1	Press Release dated December 9, 1997


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                                   SIGNATURE



	Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act
of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.




Date:	December 12, 1997







					




					NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION, INC.


					By:   /s/  Daniel M. Healy
					   			
                Daniel M. Healy
   					        Executive Vice President and 
     			        Chief Financial Officer



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Exhibit 99.1







FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			                Contact:		North Fork Bancorp
                                         									Daniel M. Healy
                                        									 Executive Vice President &
				                                              Chief Financial Officer
                                         									(516) 298-5000


                                         									Branford Savings Bank
                                         									Gregory R. Shook
                                         									Senior Vice President &
                                         									Secretary




                   	NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION ACQUISITION
           	OF BRANFORD SAVINGS BANK RECEIVES SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL



	Melville, N.Y. - December 9, 1997 - North Fork Bancorporation,
Inc. (NYSE: NFB) and Branford Savings Bank (NASDAQ: BSBC)
jointly announced today that the shareholders  of Branford
Savings Bank have approved the merger of Branford into North
Fork.  The closing of the transaction will occur by the end of
the year.  Branford, with total assets of approximately $180
million, operates through five branch locations in New Haven
County, Connecticut.


	As previously announced on October 7, 1997, a definitive merger
agreement was signed with New York Bancorp. Inc. (NYSE: NYB),
the parent company of Home Federal Savings Bank, to acquire N.Y.
Bancorp in a stock-for-stock merger valued at approximately $800
million.  This transaction, which is subject to shareholder and
regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the first quarter
of 1998.  On a pro forma basis at September 30, 1997, assuming
the completion of both acquisitions, North Fork would have
approximately $10.1 billion in assets, $5.6 billion in loans,
$6.3 billion in deposits and capital of $800 million.  Its
branch locations will exceed 100 throughout New York and
Connecticut.


	North Fork Bancorporation, Inc., with total assets, at
September 30, 1997, of $6.6 billion, deposits of $4.5 billion
and stockholders' equity of $538 million, or $8.16 in book value
per share, is the holding company for North Fork Bank, operating
80 branches in the New York metropolitan area.