LONG ISLAND BANCORP INC
8-A12G, 1997-04-23
SAVINGS INSTITUTION, FEDERALLY CHARTERED
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM 8-A

                FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                    PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                            Long Island Bancorp Inc.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

      Delaware                                                  11-3198508
(State of incorporation                                       (IRS Employer
or organization)                                             Identification No.)


 201 Old Country Road, Melville, NY                  11747-2724
(Address of principal executive offices)             (Zip Code)

If this form relates to the                 If this form relates to the
registration of a class of debt             registration of a class of
                                            securities and is effective 
                                            debt securities and is to
upon filing pursuant to                     become effective
General Instruction A(c)(1)                 simultaneously with the
please check the following                  effectiveness of a concurrent
box.              |_|                       registration statement under
                                            the Securities Act of 1933
                                            pursuant to General
                                            Instruction A(c)(2) please
                                            check the following box.|-|

  Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class                         Name of each exchange on which
to be so registered:                        each class is to be registered
- - -------------------                         ------------------------------

     None                                               None

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

                         Preferred Share Purchase Rights
                         -------------------------------
                                (Title of Class)


<PAGE>






                                                         
ITEM 1.  DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.

                  On April 22,  1997,  the  Board of  Directors  of Long  Island
Bancorp Inc. (the "Company") declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase
right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $.01 per
share (the "Common Shares"),  of the Company.  The dividend is payable on May 6,
1997 (the "Record Date") to the  stockholders of record on that date. Each Right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of
a share of Series A Junior  Participating  Preferred  Stock,  par value $.01 per
share  (the  "Preferred  Shares"),  of the  Company  at a price  of $140 per one
one-hundredth  of  a  Preferred  Share  (the  "Purchase   Price"),   subject  to
adjustment.  The  description  and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement  dated as of April  22,  1997 (the  "Rights  Agreement")  between  the
Company and  ChaseMellon  Shareholder  Services,  L.L.C.,  as Rights  Agent (the
"Rights Agent").

                  Until the  earlier to occur of (i) 10 days  following a public
announcement  that a person or group of affiliated  or  associated  persons have
acquired  beneficial  ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding  Common Shares
(an  "Acquiring  Person") or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors  prior to such time as any person
or group of  affiliated  persons  becomes an  Acquiring  Person)  following  the
commencement  of, or  announcement  of an  intention  to make, a tender offer or
exchange  offer  the  consummation  of  which  would  result  in the  beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 10% or more of the  outstanding  Common Shares
(the earlier of such dates being  called the  "Distribution  Date"),  the Rights
will  be  evidenced,  with  respect  to  any of the  Common  Share  certificates
outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share  certificate with a copy
of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.

                  The Rights  Agreement  provides that,  until the  Distribution
Date (or earlier  redemption or  expiration  of the Rights),  the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Common Shares.  Until the  Distribution  Date
(or  earlier  redemption  or  expiration  of  the  Rights),   new  Common  Share
certificates  issued  after the Record  Date upon  transfer  or new  issuance of
Common  Shares will  contain a notation  incorporating  the Rights  Agreement by
reference.  Until the Distribution Date (or earlier  redemption or expiration of
the Rights),  the surrender for transfer of any  certificates  for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date,  even without such notation or a copy of this
Summary of Rights being attached  thereto,  will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As
soon as  practicable  following the  Distribution  Date,  separate  certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record
of the Common  Shares as of the close of business on the  Distribution  Date and
such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

                  The Rights are not exercisable  until the  Distribution  Date.
The Rights will expire on May 6, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"),  unless the
Final  Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier  redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.

                  The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares
or other  securities  or  property  issuable,  upon  exercise  of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent  dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision,  combination or reclassification  of, the
Preferred  Shares,  (ii) upon the grant to  holders of the  Preferred  Shares of
certain  rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase  Preferred  Shares at a
price, or securities  convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price,
less than the  then-current  market price of the Preferred  Shares or (iii) upon
the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness
or assets  (excluding  regular  periodic cash  dividends paid out of earnings or
retained  earnings or dividends  payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

                  The  number  of  outstanding  Rights  and  the  number  of one
one-hundredths  of a Preferred  Share  issuable  upon exercise of each Right are
also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or
a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or  subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.

                  Preferred Shares  purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not  be  redeemable.  Each  Preferred  Share  will  be  entitled  to  a  minimum
preferential  quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to
an aggregate  dividend of 100 times the dividend  declared per Common Share.  In
the event of liquidation,  the holders of the Preferred  Shares will be entitled
to a  minimum  preferential  liquidation  payment  of $100 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share.
Each  Preferred  Share  will have 100  votes,  voting  together  with the Common
Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger,  consolidation or other transaction
in which Common Shares are exchanged,  each Preferred  Share will be entitled to
receive  100 times the  amount  received  per  Common  Share.  These  rights are
protected by customary antidilution provisions.

                  Because  of the  nature  of the  Preferred  Shares'  dividend,
liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth  interest in a
Preferred Share  purchasable upon exercise of each Right should  approximate the
value of one Common Share.

                  In the  event  that  any  person  or group  of  affiliated  or
associated  persons becomes an Acquiring Person,  the Rights Agreement  provides
that proper  provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right,  other than
Rights  beneficially  owned by the Acquiring  Person  (which will  thereafter be
void),  will  thereafter  have the right to receive upon exercise that number of
Common  Shares  having a market  value of two  times the  exercise  price of the
Right.  At any time after any person or group  becomes an  Acquiring  Person and
prior  to the  acquisition  by  such  person  or  group  of 50% or  more  of the
outstanding  Common  Shares,  the Board of Directors of the Company may exchange
the Rights  (other  than Rights  owned by such person or group,  which will have
become void),  in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one Common Share, or
one  one-hundredth  of a Preferred  Share (or of a share of a class or series of
the  Company's  preferred  stock  having  equivalent  rights,   preferences  and
privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).

                  The  Rights  Agreement  provides  that  none of the  Company's
directors  or officers  shall be deemed to  beneficially  own any Common  Shares
owned by any other director or officer by virtue of such persons acting in their
capacities as such, including in connection with the formulation and publication
of the Board of Directors  recommendation of its position,  and actions taken in
furtherance  thereof,  with respect to an acquisition  proposal  relating to the
Company or a tender or exchange offer for the Common Shares.

                  In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business  combination  transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated  assets or
earning  power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring  Person,
proper  provision  will be made so that each  holder of a Right will  thereafter
have the  right  to  receive,  upon the  exercise  thereof  at the then  current
exercise  price of the  Right,  that  number of  shares  of common  stock of the
acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value
of two times the exercise price of the Right.

                  With certain  exceptions,  no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative  adjustments require an adjustment of at least
1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional  Preferred Shares will be issued (other
than fractions which are integral  multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share,  which may, at the  election of the Company,  be evidenced by  depositary
receipts) and in lieu  thereof,  an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the  Preferred  Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.

                  At any time prior to the  acquisition  by a person or group of
affiliated or associated  persons of beneficial  ownership of 10% or more of the
outstanding  Common  Shares  and up to  the  Distribution  Date,  the  Board  of
Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole,  but not in part,  at a
price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption  Price").  The redemption of the Rights
may be made  effective  at such time on such basis with such  conditions  as the
Board of Directors in its sole  discretion may establish.  Immediately  upon any
redemption  of the Rights,  the right to exercise the Rights will  terminate and
the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

                  The  terms  of the  Rights  may be  amended  by the  Board  of
Directors  of the  Company  without  the  consent of the  holders of the Rights,
including an amendment to (a) lower certain  thresholds  described  above to not
less than the greater of (i) the largest  percentage of the  outstanding  Common
Shares then known to the Company to be beneficially owned by any person or group
of affiliated or associated persons and (ii) 5%, (b) fix a Final Expiration Date
later than May 6, 2007,  (c) reduce the  Redemption  Price or (d)  increase  the
Purchase  Price,  except that from and after such time as any person or group of
affiliated or associated  persons becomes an Acquiring  Person no such amendment
may adversely  affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than the
Acquiring Person and its affiliates and associates).

                  Until a Right is exercised,  the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a stockholder of the Company,  including,  without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends.

                  As of March 31, 1997,  there were 24,228,267  shares of Common
Stock issued and  outstanding  and 2,588,197  shares of Common Stock held in the
Treasury of the Company. As long as the Rights are attached to the Common Stock,
the Company will issue one Right with each new share of Common Stock so that all
such shares will have Rights  attached.  The  Company's  Board of Directors  has
reserved for issuance upon exercise of the Rights 300,000 Preferred Shares.

                  A copy of the Rights  Agreement  is  available  free of charge
from the Company.  This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights  Agreement,
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 2.  EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.                         Description
- - -----------                         -----------

    (1)                             Rights Agreement

    (2)                             Form of Certificate of Designations,
                                    included in Exhibit A to the Rights
                                    Agreement

    (3)                             Form of Rights Certificate, included in
                                    Exhibit B to the Rights Agreement

    (4)                             Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
                                    Shares, included in Exhibit C to the
                                    Rights Agreement


<PAGE>


                                    SIGNATURE



                  Pursuant to the  requirements  of Section 12 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.

                                         LONG ISLAND BANCORP INC.



Date: April 23, 1997                  By:  /s/  Mark Fuster
                                         --------------------
                                    Name:       Mark Fuster
                                   Title:      Chief Financial Officer
                                               (principal financial and 
                                               accounting officer)


<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
- - -------

  1.              Rights Agreement  ("Rights  Agreement")  dated as of April 22,
                  1997 between the Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services,
                  L.L.C., as Rights Agent.

  2.              Form of Certificate of  Designations  with respect to Series A
                  Junior Participating Preferred Stock (attached as Exhibit A to
                  the Rights Agreement).

  3.              Form of Right Certificate (attached as Exhibit B to the Rights
                  Agreement).  Pursuant to the Rights  Agreement,  printed Right
                  Certificates  will not be mailed until the  Distribution  Date
                  (as defined in the Rights Agreement).

  4.              Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares (attached as
                  Exhibit C to the Rights Agreement).



                            LONG ISLAND BANCORP, INC.


                                       and


            CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C., as Rights Agent


                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                           Dated as of April 22, 1997




<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                                                                Page
                                                                                                                ----

<S>         <C>                                                                                                  <C>

Section 1.  Certain Definitions.................................................................................  1

Section 2.  Appointment of Rights Agent.........................................................................  7

Section 3.  Issue of Right Certificates.........................................................................  7

Section 4.  Form of Right Certificates.......................................................................... 10

Section 5.  Countersignature and Registration................................................................... 11

Section 6.  Transfer, Split Up, Combination and
            Exchange of Right Certificates;
            Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates............................................. 12

Section 7.  Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights....................................... 13

Section 8.  Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.................................................. 16

Section 9.  Availability of Preferred Shares.................................................................... 16

Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date........................................................................ 17

Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of Rights.................................. 18

Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price
            or Number of Shares................................................................................. 32

Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power................................ 32

Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares............................................................. 34

Section 15. Rights of Action.................................................................................... 37

Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders.......................................................................... 38

Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder................................................... 38

Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent......................................................................... 39

Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent........................................... 40

Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent.............................................................................. 42

Section 21. Change of Rights Agent.............................................................................. 46

Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates.................................................................. 47

Section 23. Redemption.......................................................................................... 48

Section 24. Exchange............................................................................................ 49

Section 25. Notice of Certain Events............................................................................ 52

Section 26. Notices............................................................................................. 54

Section 27. Supplements and Amendments.......................................................................... 54

Section 28. Successors.......................................................................................... 55

Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement.......................................................................... 56

Section 30. Severability........................................................................................ 56

Section 31. Governing Law....................................................................................... 56

Section 32. Counterparts........................................................................................ 57

Section 33. Descriptive Headings................................................................................ 57

Section 34. Administration...................................................................................... 57
</TABLE>


Exhibit A -       Form of Certificate of Designations

Exhibit B -       Form of Right Certificate

Exhibit C -       Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred
                  Shares


<PAGE>


                  Agreement,  dated as of April 22,  1997,  between  Long Island
Bancorp,   Inc.,  a  Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company"),   and  ChaseMellon
Shareholder Services,  L.L.C., a New Jersey limited liability company, as Rights
Agent (the "Rights Agent").

                  WHEREAS,  the Board of Directors of the Company has authorized
and declared a dividend of one preferred  share  purchase  right (a "Right") for
each Common Share (as  hereinafter  defined) of the Company  outstanding  at the
Close of Business (as  hereinafter  defined) on May 6, 1997 (the "Record Date"),
each Right  representing the right to purchase one  one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share (as  hereinafter  defined),  upon the terms and subject to the  conditions
herein set forth,  and has further  authorized  and directed the issuance of one
Right with respect to each Common Share that shall  become  outstanding  between
the Record Date and the earliest of the  Distribution  Date, the Redemption Date
and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).

                  NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

                  Section 1.  Certain Definitions.  For purposes of this
                              -------------------
 Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:

                  (a) "Acquiring  Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is
hereinafter  defined) who or which,  together with all Affiliates and Associates
0as such terms are hereinafter  defined) of such Person, shall be the Beneficial
Owner (as such term is hereinafter  defined) of 10% or more of the Common Shares
of the  Company  then  outstanding,  but  shall not  include  the  Company,  any
Subsidiary  (as such term is hereinafter  defined) of the Company,  any employee
benefit  plan of the Company or any  Subsidiary  of the  Company,  or any entity
holding  Common  Shares of the  Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such
plan.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  no Person  shall  become an  "Acquiring
Person" as the result of an  acquisition  of Common Shares by the Company which,
by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number
of shares  beneficially owned by such Person to 10% or more of the Common Shares
of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall
                                 --------  -------
become the  Beneficial  Owner of 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company
then  outstanding by reason of share  purchases by the Company and shall,  after
such  share  purchases  by the  Company,  become  the  Beneficial  Owner  of any
additional Common Shares of the Company,  then such Person shall be deemed to be
an "Acquiring Person".  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors
of the Company  determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an
"Acquiring  Person",  as defined  pursuant to the  foregoing  provisions of this
paragraph  (a),  has  become  such  inadvertently,  and such  Person  divests as
promptly as practicable a sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person
would no longer be an "Acquiring  Person," as defined  pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this  paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed to be an
"Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.

                  (b)  "Affiliate"  and  "Associate"  shall have the  respective
meanings  ascribed  to such  terms  in  Rule  12b-2  of the  General  Rules  and
Regulations  promulgated  under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act"), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.

                  (c) A Person  shall be deemed  the  "Beneficial  Owner" of and
shall be deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:

                  (i)  which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
         Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;

                  (ii) which such Person or any of such  Person's  Affiliates or
         Associates  has (A)  the  right  to  acquire  (whether  such  right  is
         exercisable  immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to
         any  agreement,  arrangement  or  understanding  (other than  customary
         agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with
         respect to a bona fide  public  offering  of  securities),  or upon the
         exercise of  conversion  rights,  exchange  rights,  rights (other than
         these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however,
                                                           --------  -------
         that a Person  shall  not be  deemed  the  Beneficial  Owner  of, or to
         beneficially own,  securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange
         offer  made by or on  behalf  of such  Person  or any of such  Person's
         Affiliates or Associates  until such tendered  securities  are accepted
         for  purchase  or  exchange;  or (B) the right to vote  pursuant to any
         agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided further, however,
                                                  ----------------- -------
         that a Person  shall  not be  deemed  the  Beneficial  Owner  of, or to
         beneficially  own,  any  security  if  the  agreement,  arrangement  or
         understanding  to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable
         proxy or consent  given to such Person in response to a public proxy or
         consent  solicitation  made  pursuant to, and in accordance  with,  the
         applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and
         (2) is not also then  reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act
         (or any comparable or successor report); or

                  (iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
         any  other  Person  with  which  such  Person  or any of such  Person's
         Affiliates   or   Associates   has  any   agreement,   arrangement   or
         understanding   (other  than  customary  agreements  with  and  between
         underwriters  and selling  group  members  with  respect to a bona fide
         public offering of securities)  for the purpose of acquiring,  holding,
         voting  (except to the extent  contemplated  by the  proviso to Section
         1(c)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Company.

                  Notwithstanding  anything  in this  definition  of  Beneficial
Owner to the contrary,  the phrase "then  outstanding," when used with reference
to a Person's beneficial ownership of securities of the Company,  shall mean the
number of such securities  then issued and outstanding  together with the number
of such securities not then actually  issued and  outstanding  which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.

                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the Company's directors
or officers  shall be deemed to be the Beneficial  Owner of, or to  beneficially
own, any Common Shares of the Company owned by any other  director or officer of
the Company solely by virtue of such persons acting in their capacities as such,
including,   without   limitation,   in  connection  with  any  formulation  and
publication  of the Board of Directors'  recommendation  of a position,  and any
actions taken in furtherance  thereof,  with respect to any acquisition proposal
relating to the Company, a tender or exchange offer for any Common Shares of the
Company or any  solicitation of proxies with respect to any Common Shares of the
Company.

                  (d) "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday,  or a day on  which  banking  institutions  in New  York,  New  York are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

                  (e) "Close of Business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M.
Eastern  time,  on such  date;  provided,  however,  that if such  date is not a
                                --------   -------
Business  Day it shall  mean  5:00 P.M.  Eastern  time,  on the next  succeeding
Business Day.

                  (f) "Common  Shares"  when used with  reference to the Company
shall mean the shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company.
"Common  Shares"  when used with  reference to any Person other than the Company
shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power
of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person,
the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.

                  (g) "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a) hereof.

                  (h) "Final  Expiration  Date" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 7(a) hereof.

                  (i) "Person" shall mean any individual,  firm,  corporation or
other  entity,  and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such
entity.

                  (j)  "Preferred  Shares"  shall mean shares of Series A Junior
Participating  Preferred  Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company having
the rights and  preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designations
attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.

                  (k) "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(b) hereof.

                  (l) "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(a) hereof.

                  (m)  "Shares  Acquisition  Date"  shall mean the first date of
public  announcement  by the Company or an  Acquiring  Person that an  Acquiring
Person has become such.

                  (n)  "Subsidiary"  of any Person shall mean any corporation or
other  entity of which a  majority  of the  voting  power of the  voting  equity
securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

                  Section 2.  Appointment of Rights Agent.  The Company  hereby
                              ---------------------------
appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the
terms  and  conditions   hereof,  and  the  Rights  Agent  hereby  accepts  such
appointment.  The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as
it may deem necessary or desirable.

                  Section 3.  Issue of Right Certificates.  (a) Until
                              ---------------------------
the earlier of (i) the tenth day after the Shares  Acquisition  Date or (ii) the
tenth  Business  Day (or such later date as may be  determined  by action of the
Board of Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person)
after the date of the  commencement  by any Person (other than the Company,  any
Subsidiary  of the Company,  any employee  benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to
the  terms of any such  plan) of, or of the  first  public  announcement  of the
intention of any Person (other than the Company,  any Subsidiary of the Company,
any employee  benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or
any entity  holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan)
to commence,  a tender or exchange offer the  consummation of which would result
in any Person  becoming an Acquiring  Person  (including  any such date which is
after the date of this  Agreement  and prior to the issuance of the Rights;  the
earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution  Date"), (x)
the Rights will be evidenced  (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof)
by the certificates for Common Shares of the Company  registered in the names of
the  holders  thereof  (which  certificates  shall  also be  deemed  to be Right
Certificates)  and not by  separate  Right  Certificates,  and (y) the  right to
receive Right  Certificates  will be  transferable  only in connection  with the
transfer  of Common  Shares of the  Company.  As soon as  practicable  after the
Distribution  Date, the Company will prepare and execute,  the Rights Agent will
countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent
will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each
record holder of Common Shares of the Company as of the Close of Business on the
Distribution  Date,  at the address of such  holder  shown on the records of the
Company, a Right  Certificate,  in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a
"Right Certificate"),  evidencing one Right for each Common Share of the Company
so held. As of the  Distribution  Date,  the Rights will be evidenced  solely by
such Right Certificates.

                  (b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable  thereafter,
the  Company  will send a copy of a Summary  of  Rights  to  Purchase  Preferred
Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"),
by first-class,  postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares of
the Company as of the Close of Business  on the Record  Date,  at the address of
such holder  shown on the records of the Company.  With respect to  certificates
for Common Shares of the Company  outstanding  as of the Record Date,  until the
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates  registered
in the names of the  holders  thereof  together  with a copy of the  Summary  of
Rights  attached  thereto.  Until the  Distribution  Date (or the earlier of the
Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any
certificate for Common Shares  outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a
copy of the  Summary  of Rights  attached  thereto,  shall also  constitute  the
transfer  of the  Rights  associated  with  the  Common  Shares  of the  Company
represented thereby.

                  (c) Certificates for Common Shares of the Company which become
outstanding  (including,  without  limitation,  reacquired  Common Shares of the
Company referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record
Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution  Date, the Redemption Date or
the Final  Expiration  Date shall have  impressed on,  printed on, written on or
otherwise affixed to them the following legend:

         This  certificate  also  evidences  and entitles  the holder  hereof to
         certain rights as set forth in a Rights  Agreement  between Long Island
         Bancorp, Inc. and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services,  L.L.C. dated as of
         April 22, 1997 (the "Rights Agreement"),  the terms of which are hereby
         incorporated  herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the
         principal executive offices of Long Island Bancorp,  Inc. Under certain
         circumstances,  as set forth in the Rights Agreement,  such Rights will
         be evidenced by separate  certificates  and will no longer be evidenced
         by this certificate.  Long Island Bancorp, Inc. will mail to the holder
         of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after
         receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain circumstances,  as
         set forth in the  Rights  Agreement,  Rights  issued to any  Person who
         becomes an Acquiring  Person (as defined in the Rights  Agreement)  may
         become null and void.


With respect to such  certificates  containing the foregoing  legend,  until the
Distribution  Date, the Rights  associated with the Common Shares of the Company
represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates  alone,
and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer  of the  Rights  associated  with  the  Common  Shares  of the  Company
represented  thereby.  In the event that the Company  purchases  or acquires any
Common Shares of the Company after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution
Date,  any Rights  associated  with such Common  Shares of the Company  shall be
deemed  cancelled  and  retired so that the  Company  shall not be  entitled  to
exercise any Rights  associated  with the Common Shares of the Company which are
no longer outstanding.

                  Section 4.  Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates
                              --------------------------
(and the forms of election to purchase  Preferred Shares and of assignment to be
printed on the reverse  thereof)  shall be  substantially  the same as Exhibit B
hereto  and may  have  such  marks of  identification  or  designation  and such
legends,  summaries  or  endorsements  printed  thereon as the  Company may deem
appropriate and as are not  inconsistent  with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be  required  to comply  with any  applicable  law or with any rule or
regulation  made  pursuant  thereto or with any rule or  regulation of any stock
exchange  on which the Rights may from time to time be listed,  or to conform to
usage.  Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof,  the Right  Certificates
shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of one  one-hundredths
of a Preferred  Share as shall be set forth therein at the Purchase  Price,  but
the number of such one  one-hundredths  of a  Preferred  Share and the  Purchase
Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

                  Section 5.  Countersignature and  Registration.  The Right
                              ----------------------------------
Certificates  shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its  Chairman of the
Board, its Chief Executive Officer,  its President,  any of its Vice Presidents,
or its Treasurer,  either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed
thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof,  and shall be attested by the
Secretary  or an  Assistant  Secretary  of the  Company,  either  manually or by
facsimile signature.  The Right Certificates shall be manually  countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In
case  any  officer  of the  Company  who  shall  have  signed  any of the  Right
Certificates   shall   cease  to  be  such   officer  of  the   Company   before
countersignature  by the Rights  Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates,  nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Right  Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company
by  any  person  who,  at the  actual  date  of  the  execution  of  such  Right
Certificate,  shall  be a proper  officer  of the  Company  to sign  such  Right
Certificate,  although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any
such person was not such an officer.

                  Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or
cause to be kept, at its principal  office,  books for registration and transfer
of the Right Certificates issued hereunder.  Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the  respective  holders of the Right  Certificates,  the number of
Rights  evidenced on its face by each of the Right  Certificates and the date of
each of the Right Certificates.

                  Section 6.  Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of
                              -----------------------------------------------
Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject to the  provisions of Section 14 hereof,  at any time after the Close of
Business on the  Distribution  Date, and at or prior to the Close of Business on
the  earlier of the  Redemption  Date or the Final  Expiration  Date,  any Right
Certificate or Right Certificates  (other than Right  Certificates  representing
Rights that have become void pursuant to Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof or that have
been  exchanged  pursuant  to Section 24 hereof) may be  transferred,  split up,
combined or  exchanged  for another  Right  Certificate  or Right  Certificates,
entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of one  one-hundredths
of a Preferred Share as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates  surrendered
then  entitled  such  holder to  purchase.  Any  registered  holder  desiring to
transfer,  split  up,  combine  or  exchange  any  Right  Certificate  or  Right
Certificates  shall make such request in writing  delivered to the Rights Agent,
and  shall  surrender  the  Right  Certificate  or  Right   Certificates  to  be
transferred,  split up,  combined or  exchanged at the  principal  office of the
Rights Agent.  Thereupon the Rights Agent shall  countersign  and deliver to the
Person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right  Certificates,  as the case
may be, as so requested.  The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or governmental  charge that may be imposed in connection with any
transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.

                  Upon  receipt by the Company and the Rights  Agent of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security  reasonably  satisfactory  to  them,  and,  at the  Company's  request,
reimbursement  to the Company and the Rights  Agent of all  reasonable  expenses
incidental  thereto,  and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of
the Right  Certificate  if  mutilated,  the Company  will make and deliver a new
Right  Certificate  of like  tenor  to the  Rights  Agent  for  delivery  to the
registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated.

                  Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
                             ---------------------------------------------------
of Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may, subject to
- - ---------
the second paragraph of Section 11(a)(ii), exercise the Rights evidenced thereby
(except as otherwise  provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the
Distribution  Date upon  surrender  of the Right  Certificate,  with the form of
election to purchase on the reverse side thereof  duly  executed,  to the Rights
Agent at the principal office of the Rights Agent,  together with payment of the
Purchase Price for each one  one-hundredth  of a Preferred Share as to which the
Rights are  exercised,  at or prior to the earliest of (i) the Close of Business
on May 6, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"),  (ii) the time at which the Rights
are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption  Date"), or (iii)
the time at which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.

                  (b)  The  Purchase  Price  for  each  one  one-hundredth  of a
Preferred Share purchasable  pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially
be $140,  and shall be subject to  adjustment  from time to time as  provided in
Sections  11 and 13 hereof and shall be  payable  in lawful  money of the United
States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below (the "Purchase Price").

                  (c)  Upon   receipt  of  a  Right   Certificate   representing
exercisable  Rights,  with the  form of  election  to  purchase  duly  executed,
accompanied  by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and
an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder
of such Right  Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by wire transfer,
certified check,  cashier's check, official bank check or money order payable to
the order of the  Company,  the Rights  Agent shall  thereupon  promptly (i) (A)
requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Shares certificates for the
number of Preferred  Shares to be purchased and the Company  hereby  irrevocably
authorizes  its  transfer  agent  to  comply  with  all  such  requests,  or (B)
requisition  from the depositary  agent depositary  receipts  representing  such
number of one  one-hundredths  of a Preferred  Share as are to be purchased  (in
which case  certificates for the Preferred  Shares  represented by such receipts
shall be  deposited  by the transfer  agent with the  depositary  agent) and the
Company hereby directs the  depositary  agent to comply with such request,  (ii)
when appropriate,  requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in
lieu of issuance of  fractional  shares in  accordance  with  Section 14 hereof,
(iii) after receipt of such certificates or depositary receipts,  cause the same
to be  delivered  to or upon the order of the  registered  holder of such  Right
Certificate,  registered  in such  name or  names as may be  designated  by such
holder and (iv) when  appropriate,  after receipt,  deliver such cash to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.

                  (d) In case the  registered  holder of any  Right  Certificate
shall  exercise  less  than  all  the  Rights  evidenced  thereby,  a new  Right
Certificate  evidencing  Rights  equivalent to the Rights remaining  unexercised
shall be issued  by the  Rights  Agent to the  registered  holder of such  Right
Certificate  or to  such  holder's  duly  authorized  assigns,  subject  to  the
provisions of Section 14 hereof.

                  Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.
                             --------------------------------------------------
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise,  transfer, split
up,  combination or exchange  shall,  if surrendered to the Company or to any of
its agents,  be delivered to the Rights Agent for  cancellation  or in cancelled
form, or, if  surrendered to the Rights Agent,  shall be cancelled by it, and no
Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted
by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement.  The Company shall deliver to
the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement,  and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire,  any other  Right  Certificate  purchased  or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all  cancelled  Right  Certificates  to the  Company,  or shall,  at the written
request of the Company,  destroy such cancelled Right Certificates,  and in such
case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

                  Section 9.  Availability of Preferred  Shares.  The Company
                              ---------------------------------
covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of
its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares or any Preferred Shares held in its
treasury,  the number of Preferred  Shares that will be sufficient to permit the
exercise in full of all  outstanding  Rights in  accordance  with Section 7. The
Company  covenants  and  agrees  that it will  take  all such  action  as may be
necessary to ensure that all Preferred  Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights
shall,  at the time of delivery of the  certificates  for such Preferred  Shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price),  be duly and validly  authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.

                  The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when
due and payable any and all federal and state  transfer  taxes and charges which
may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right  Certificates
or of any Preferred  Shares upon the exercise of Rights.  The Company shall not,
however,  be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of
any transfer or delivery of Right  Certificates  to a Person other than,  or the
issuance or delivery of  certificates  or depositary  receipts for the Preferred
Shares  in a name  other  than  that of,  the  registered  holder  of the  Right
Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver
any  certificates or depositary  receipts for Preferred Shares upon the exercise
of any  Rights  until  any such tax  shall  have  been  paid (any such tax being
payable by the holder of such Right  Certificate  at the time of  surrender)  or
until it has been established to the Company's  reasonable  satisfaction that no
such tax is due.

                  Section 10.  Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in
                               ----------------------------
whose name any certificate  for Preferred  Shares is issued upon the exercise of
Rights  shall for all  purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of
the  Preferred  Shares  represented  thereby on, and such  certificate  shall be
dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered  and  payment of the  Purchase  Price (and any  applicable  transfer
taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
                 --------  -------
payment is a date upon which the Preferred  Shares transfer books of the Company
are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such
shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day
on which the Preferred  Shares transfer books of the Company are open.  Prior to
the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby,  the holder of a Right Certificate
shall not be  entitled to any rights of a holder of  Preferred  Shares for which
the Rights shall be exercisable,  including,  without  limitation,  the right to
vote, to receive dividends or other  distributions or to exercise any preemptive
rights,  and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any  proceedings  of
the Company, except as provided herein.

                  Section 11.  Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
                               -------------------------------------------------
Number of Rights.  The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares or other
- - ----------------
securities  covered  by each  Right and the  number of  Rights  outstanding  are
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.

                  (a) (i) In the event the  Company  shall at any time after the
date of this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
Preferred Shares,  (B) subdivide the outstanding  Preferred Shares,  (C) combine
the outstanding  Preferred  Shares into a smaller number of Preferred  Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such  reclassification  in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the  Company is the  continuing  or  surviving  corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect
at the time of the record  date for such  dividend or of the  effective  date of
such subdivision,  combination or  reclassification,  and the number and kind of
shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right  exercised  after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate  number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised  immediately  prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have
owned  upon  such  exercise  and been  entitled  to  receive  by  virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided, however, that
                                                        --------  -------
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the  aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right.

         (ii) Subject to Section 24 of this  Agreement,  in the event any Person
becomes an  Acquiring  Person,  each holder of a Right shall  thereafter  have a
right to receive,  upon  exercise  thereof at a price equal to the then  current
Purchase  Price  multiplied by the number of one  one-hundredths  of a Preferred
Share for which a Right is then  exercisable,  in  accordance  with the terms of
this Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,  such number of Common Shares of
the  Company as shall  equal the result  obtained  by (x)  multiplying  the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one  one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right is then  exercisable  and dividing  that product by (y) 50% of
the  then  current  per  share  market  price  of the  Company's  Common  Shares
(determined  pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the  occurrence of
such event; provided, however, that if the transaction that would otherwise give
rise to the foregoing adjustment is also subject to the provisions of Section 13
hereof,  then  only the  provisions  of  Section  13 hereof  shall  apply and no
adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section  11(a)(ii).  In the event that
any  Person  shall  become an  Acquiring  Person  and the  Rights  shall then be
outstanding, subject to Section 23 hereof, the Company shall not take any action
which would  eliminate or diminish  the benefits  intended to be afforded by the
Rights.

                  From and after the  occurrence of such event,  any Rights that
are or were  acquired  or  beneficially  owned by any  Acquiring  Person (or any
Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person) shall be void and any holder of
such Rights  shall  thereafter  have no right to exercise  such Rights under any
provision of this Agreement.  No Right  Certificate  shall be issued pursuant to
Section 3 that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person whose
Rights  would be void  pursuant to the  preceding  sentence or any  Associate or
Affiliate  thereof;  no Right  Certificate  shall be issued at any time upon the
transfer  of any  Rights  to an  Acquiring  Person  whose  Rights  would be void
pursuant to the preceding  sentence or any Associate or Affiliate  thereof or to
any nominee of such  Acquiring  Person,  Associate or  Affiliate;  and any Right
Certificate  delivered to the Rights  Agent for transfer to an Acquiring  Person
whose  Rights  would  be  void  pursuant  to the  preceding  sentence  shall  be
cancelled.

                  (iii) In the event that there shall not be  sufficient  Common
Shares of the Company  issued but not  outstanding or authorized but unissued to
permit the  exercise  in full of the  Rights in  accordance  with the  foregoing
subparagraph (ii), the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to
authorize  additional Common Shares of the Company for issuance upon exercise of
the Rights.  In the event the Company shall,  after good faith effort, be unable
to take all such action as may be necessary to authorize such additional  Common
Shares of the Company,  the Company shall  substitute,  for each Common Share of
the Company that would  otherwise be issuable upon exercise of a Right, a number
of Preferred  Shares or fraction  thereof such that the current per share market
price of one Preferred  Share  multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to
the current per share  market price of one Common Share of the Company as of the
date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.

                  (b) In case  the  Company  shall  fix a  record  date  for the
issuance  of rights,  options or warrants  to all  holders of  Preferred  Shares
entitling them (for a period  expiring within 45 calendar days after such record
date) to subscribe for or purchase  Preferred  Shares (or shares having the same
rights,   privileges  and  preferences  as  the  Preferred  Shares  ("equivalent
preferred   shares"))  or  securities   convertible  into  Preferred  Shares  or
equivalent  preferred  shares  at a price  per  Preferred  Share  or  equivalent
preferred  share  (or  having  a  conversion  price  per  share,  if a  security
convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent  preferred shares) less than the
then  current  per share  market  price of the  Preferred  Shares (as defined in
Section  11(d) hereof) on such record date,  the Purchase  Price to be in effect
after such record date shall be determined by multiplying  the Purchase Price in
effect  immediately  prior to such record date by a fraction,  the  numerator of
which shall be the number of Preferred  Shares  outstanding  on such record date
plus the number of Preferred  Shares which the aggregate  offering  price of the
total number of Preferred  Shares and/or  equivalent  preferred  shares so to be
offered  (and/or  the  aggregate  initial  conversion  price of the  convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the
denominator of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such
record date plus the number of additional  Preferred  Shares  and/or  equivalent
preferred  shares to be offered for  subscription or purchase (or into which the
convertible securities so to be offered are initiall  convertible);  provided,
                                                                     --------
however,  that in no event shall the  consideration to be paid upon the exercise
- - -------
of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock
of the Company  issuable upon exercise of one Right.  In case such  subscription
price  may be paid in a  consideration  part or all of which  shall be in a form
other than cash, the value of such consideration  shall be as determined in good
faith by the Board of  Directors of the Company,  whose  determination  shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.  Preferred Shares owned by
or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed  outstanding  for the
purpose of any such  computation.  Such  adjustment  shall be made  successively
whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights, options
or warrants are not so issued,  the  Purchase  Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase  Price  which  would then be in effect if such record date had not been
fixed.

                  (c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making
of a  distribution  to all holders of the Preferred  Shares  (including any such
distribution  made in  connection  with a  consolidation  or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription  rights or warrants  (excluding those referred
to in Section  11(b)  hereof),  the  Purchase  Price to be in effect  after such
record date shall be  determined  by  multiplying  the Purchase  Price in effect
immediately  prior to such  record date by a fraction,  the  numerator  of which
shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such
record  date,  less the fair market  value (as  determined  in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company,  whose  determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences
of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription  rights or warrants
applicable to one  Preferred  Share and the  denominator  of which shall be such
current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; provided,  however, that
                                                        --------   -------
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the  aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
to be  issued  upon  exercise  of one  Right.  Such  adjustments  shall  be made
successively  whenever  such a record date is fixed;  and in the event that such
distribution  is not so made,  the Purchase  Price shall again be adjusted to be
the  Purchase  Price  which  would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.

                  (d) (i) For the  purpose  of any  computation  hereunder,  the
"current per share market price" of any security (a  "Security"  for the purpose
of this  Section  11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the
daily closing prices per share of such Security for the thirty (30)  consecutive
Trading  Days (as such  term is  hereinafter  defined)  which  fall  within  the
one-year period ending on such date and have the lowest such average; provided,
                                                                      --------
however,  that in the  event  that the  current  per share  market  price of the
- - -------
Security is determined  during a period following the announcement by the issuer
of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution  on such Security  payable in
shares of such Security or securities  convertible into such shares,  or (B) any
subdivision,  combination or  reclassification of such Security and prior to the
expiration  of thirty  (30)  Trading  Days after the  ex-dividend  date for such
dividend or distribution,  or the record date for such subdivision,  combination
or  reclassification,  then, and in each such case, the current per share market
price shall be  appropriately  adjusted to reflect the current  market price per
share  equivalent of such Security.  The closing price for each day shall be the
last sale price,  regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
the average of the closing bid and asked prices,  regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities  listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock  Exchange or,
if the  Security  is not  listed or  admitted  to  trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal national  securities exchange
on which the  Security is listed or  admitted to trading or, if the  Security is
not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange,  the last
quoted  price or, if not so  quoted,  the  average of the high bid and low asked
prices in the  over-the-counter  market, as reported by the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System ("NASDAQ") or such other
system  then in use,  or, if on any such date the  Security is not quoted by any
such organization,  the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished
by a professional  market maker making a market in the Security  selected by the
Board of Directors of the Company.  The term  "Trading  Day" shall mean a day on
which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed
or  admitted  to  trading is open for the  transaction  of  business  or, if the
Security  is not  listed or  admitted  to  trading  on any  national  securities
exchange, a Business Day.

         (ii) For the purpose of any  computation  hereunder,  the  "current per
share market  price" of the  Preferred  Shares shall be determined in accordance
with the method set forth in Section  11(d)(i).  If the Preferred Shares are not
publicly  traded,  the "current per share market price" of the Preferred  Shares
shall be  conclusively  deemed to be the current per share  market  price of the
Common  Shares  of the  Company  as  determined  pursuant  to  Section  11(d)(i)
(appropriately  adjusted to reflect any stock split,  stock  dividend or similar
transaction  occurring  after the date hereof),  multiplied  by one hundred.  If
neither the Common Shares of the Company nor the  Preferred  Shares are publicly
held or so listed or traded,  "current  per share  market  price" shall mean the
fair value per share as  determined  in good faith by the Board of  Directors of
the Company,  whose  determination  shall be described in a statement filed with
the Rights Agent.

                  (e) No  adjustment  in the  Purchase  Price  shall be required
unless such  adjustment  would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of
                    --------  -------
this  Section  11(e) are not  required  to be made shall be carried  forward and
taken into account in any subsequent  adjustment.  All  calculations  under this
Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one one-millionth
of a Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the
case may be.  Notwithstanding  the first  sentence of this  Section  11(e),  any
adjustment  required by this  Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier
of (i)  three  years  from  the  date of the  transaction  which  requires  such
adjustment  or (ii) the date of the  expiration  of the  right to  exercise  any
Rights.

                  (f) If as a result of an  adjustment  made pursuant to Section
11(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled
to receive  any  shares of capital  stock of the  Company  other than  Preferred
Shares,  thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable  upon exercise
of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on
terms as nearly  equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the
Preferred  Shares  contained in Section  11(a) through (c),  inclusive,  and the
provisions  of Sections  7, 9, 10 and 13 with  respect to the  Preferred  Shares
shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

                  (g) All Rights originally issued by the Company  subsequent to
any adjustment  made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase,  at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred  Share  purchasable  from time to time  hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

                  (h) Unless the Company  shall have  exercised  its election as
provided in Section  11(i),  upon each  adjustment  of the  Purchase  Price as a
result  of  the  calculations  made  in  Sections  11(b)  and  (c),  each  Right
outstanding  immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase,  at the adjusted  Purchase Price, that number of
one  one-hundredths  of  a  Preferred  Share  (calculated  to  the  nearest  one
one-millionth  of a Preferred  Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number
of one  one-hundredths  of a share covered by a Right  immediately prior to this
adjustment  by (y) the  Purchase  Price  in  effect  immediately  prior  to such
adjustment  of the Purchase  Price and (ii)  dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect  immediately  after such adjustment of the Purchase
Price.
                  (i)  The  Company  may  elect  on or  after  the  date  of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution
for any  adjustment  in the number of one  one-hundredths  of a Preferred  Share
purchasable upon the exercise of a Right.  Each of the Rights  outstanding after
such  adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable  for the number of
one  one-hundredths  of a  Preferred  Share for  which a Right  was  exercisable
immediately  prior to such  adjustment.  Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment  of  the  number  of  Rights  shall  become  that  number  of  Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect  immediately  prior to adjustment  of the Purchase  Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of
Rights,  indicating  the record  date for the  adjustment,  and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made.  This record date may be the date
on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right
Certificates have been issued,  shall be at least 10 days later than the date of
the public  announcement.  If Right  Certificates  have been  issued,  upon each
adjustment of the number of Rights  pursuant to this Section 11(i),  the Company
shall, as promptly as practicable,  cause to be distributed to holders of record
of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject
to Section 14  hereof,  the  additional  Rights to which such  holders  shall be
entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall
cause  to  be  distributed  to  such  holders  of  record  in  substitution  and
replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of
adjustment,  and upon surrender thereof,  if required by the Company,  new Right
Certificates  evidencing  all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
after such adjustment.  Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,
executed  and  countersigned  in the  manner  provided  for  herein and shall be
registered  in the names of the holders of record of Right  Certificates  on the
record date specified in the public announcement.

                  (j)  Irrespective  of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued
may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one  one-hundredths
of a Preferred  Share which were  expressed  in the initial  Right  Certificates
issued hereunder.

                  (k) Before  taking any action that would  cause an  adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below one  one-hundredth  of the then par value,  if
any, of the Preferred  Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights,  the Company
shall take any  corporate  action which may, in the opinion of its  counsel,  be
necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.

                  (l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment  in the  Purchase  Price be made  effective as of a record date for a
specified  event,  the Company may elect to defer until the  occurrence  of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Preferred  Shares and other  capital stock or securities of the Company,  if
any,  issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred  Shares and other
capital stock or securities of the Company,  if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
                                                                       --------
however,  that the  Company  shall  deliver  to such  holder a due bill or other
- - -------
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

                  (m)   Anything   in   this   Section   11  to   the   contrary
notwithstanding,  the Company  shall be entitled to make such  reductions in the
Purchase  Price,  in addition to those  adjustments  expressly  required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion  shall determine
to be advisable in order that any  consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred
Shares,  issuance  wholly  for cash of any  Preferred  Shares  at less  than the
current market price, issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities
which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred  Shares,
dividends on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or issuance of rights,
options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b),  hereafter made by
the  Company  to holders of its  Preferred  Shares  shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.

                  (n) In the  event  that at any  time  after  the  date of this
Agreement and prior to the  Distribution  Date, the Company shall (i) declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Shares of the Company payable in Common Shares of
the Company or (ii) effect a subdivision,  combination or  consolidation  of the
Common Shares of the Company (by  reclassification  or otherwise than by payment
of dividends in Common Shares of the Company) into a greater or lesser number of
Common  Shares  of the  Company,  then in any such  case (A) the  number  of one
one-hundredths  of a Preferred  Share  purchasable  after such event upon proper
exercise  of each Right shall be  determined  by  multiplying  the number of one
one-hundredths  of a Preferred  Share so purchasable  immediately  prior to such
event by a fraction,  the  numerator of which is the number of Common  Shares of
the Company  outstanding  immediately  before such event and the  denominator of
which is the  number of Common  Shares of the  Company  outstanding  immediately
after  such  event,  and  (B)  each  Common  Share  of the  Company  outstanding
immediately after such event shall have issued with respect to it that number of
Rights which each Common Share of the Company  outstanding  immediately prior to
such event had issued with respect to it. The  adjustments  provided for in this
Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or
paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.

                  Section 12.  Certificate of Adjusted  Purchase Price or Number
                               -------------------------------------------------
of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13
- - ---------
hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate  setting forth such
adjustment,  and a brief statement of the facts  accounting for such adjustment,
(b) file  with the  Rights  Agent and with each  transfer  agent for the  Common
Shares of the Company or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c)
mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance
with Section 25 hereof.

                  Section 13.  Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
                               --------------------------------------------
Assets or Earning Power. In the event,directly or indirectly, at any time after
- - -----------------------
a Person has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with,
or merge with and into, any other Person,  (b) any Person shall consolidate with
the  Company,  or merge with and into the Company  and the Company  shall be the
continuing or surviving  corporation of such merger and, in connection with such
merger, all or part of the Common Shares of the Company shall be changed into or
exchanged for stock or other  securities of any other Person (or the Company) or
cash or any other property,  or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer
(or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or
more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets
or earning power of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  (taken as a whole) to any
other  Person  other  than  the  Company  or one  or  more  of its  wholly-owned
Subsidiaries,  then, and in each such case,  proper  provision  shall be made so
that (i) each  holder of a Right  (other  than  Rights  which have  become  void
pursuant  to  Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof)  shall  thereafter  have the  right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase
Price  multiplied by the number of one  one-hundredths  of a Preferred Share for
which  a Right  is then  exercisable,  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of this
Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares,  such number of Common Shares of such
other Person  (including  the Company as successor  thereto or as the  surviving
corporation)  as shall  equal the result  obtained by (A)  multiplying  the then
current Purchase Price by the number of one  one-hundredths of a Preferred Share
for which a Right is then  exercisable  and dividing  that product by (B) 50% of
the then  current  per share  market  price of the  Common  Shares of such other
Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation
of such consolidation,  merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common
Shares  shall  thereafter  be liable for,  and shall  assume,  by virtue of such
consolidation,  merger, sale or transfer,  all the obligations and duties of the
Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be
deemed to refer to such  issuer;  and (iv) such  issuer  shall  take such  steps
(including,  but not limited to, the  reservation of a sufficient  number of its
Common  Shares to  permit  the  exercise  in full of all  outstanding  Rights in
accordance with this  Agreement) in connection with such  consummation as may be
necessary to assure that the provisions  hereof shall  thereafter be applicable,
as nearly as  reasonably  may be, in  relation to the Common  Shares  thereafter
deliverable  upon the exercise of the Rights.  The Company shall not  consummate
any such  consolidation,  merger,  sale or  transfer  unless  prior  thereto the
Company and such issuer shall have  executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a
supplemental  agreement  so  providing.  The  Company  shall not enter  into any
transaction  of the kind  referred to in this  Section 13 if at the time of such
transaction   there  are  any  rights,   warrants,   instruments  or  securities
outstanding  or  any  agreements  or  arrangements  which,  as a  result  of the
consummation of such transaction,  would eliminate or substantially diminish the
benefits  intended to be afforded by the Rights.  The provisions of this Section
13 shall similarly  apply to successive  mergers or  consolidations  or sales or
other transfers.

                  Section 14.  Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The
                               ---------------------------------------
Company  shall not be required  to issue  fractions  of Rights or to  distribute
Right Certificates which evidence  fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional
Rights,  there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such  fractional  Rights would  otherwise  be issuable,  an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right.  For the purposes of this Section  14(a),  the current  market value of a
whole  Right  shall be the  closing  price of the  Rights  for the  Trading  Day
immediately  prior to the date on which such  fractional  Rights would have been
otherwise issuable.  The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular  way,  or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,  the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal  consolidated  transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock  Exchange  or, if the Rights
are not  listed or  admitted  to  trading  on the New York  Stock  Exchange,  as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed on the principal national  securities exchange on which the
Rights are  listed or  admitted  to trading  or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities  exchange,  the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted,  the  average of the high bid and low asked  prices in the
over-the-counter  market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use
or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization,  the
average of the  closing  bid and asked  prices as  furnished  by a  professional
market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of
the Company.  If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the
Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.

                  (b) The Company  shall not be required to issue  fractions  of
Preferred  Shares  (other than  fractions  which are  integral  multiples of one
one-hundredth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute
certificates  which evidence  fractional  Preferred Shares (other than fractions
which  are  integral  multiples  of one  one-hundredth  of a  Preferred  Share).
Fractions of Preferred  Shares in integral  multiples of one  one-hundredth of a
Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company,  be evidenced by depositary
receipts,  pursuant  to an  appropriate  agreement  between  the  Company  and a
depositary selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the
                           --------
holders of such  depositary  receipts shall have all the rights,  privileges and
preferences  to which they are entitled as  beneficial  owners of the  Preferred
Shares represented by such depositary receipts.  In lieu of fractional Preferred
Shares  that are not  integral  multiples  of one  one-hundredth  of a Preferred
Share, the Company shall pay to the registered  holders of Right Certificates at
the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to
the same fraction of the current  market value of one Preferred  Share.  For the
purposes of this Section 14(b),  the current  market value of a Preferred  Share
shall be the closing price of a Preferred  Share (as determined  pursuant to the
second  sentence of Section  11(d)(i)  hereof)  for the Trading Day  immediately
prior to the date of such exercise.

                  (c) The  holder  of a Right  by the  acceptance  of the  Right
expressly  waives such holder's  right to receive any  fractional  Rights or any
fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).

                  Section 15.  Rights of Action.  All rights of action in
                               ----------------
respect of this  Agreement,  excepting  the rights of action given to the Rights
Agent under Section 18 hereof,  are vested in the respective  registered holders
of the Right  Certificates  (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Shares of the Company);  and any registered  holder of any
Right  Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution  Date, of the Common Shares of
the  Company),  without the consent of the Rights  Agent or of the holder of any
other Right  Certificate  (or,  prior to the  Distribution  Date,  of the Common
Shares of the  Company),  may, in such holder's own behalf and for such holder's
own  benefit,  enforce,  and may  institute  and  maintain  any suit,  action or
proceeding against the Company to enforce,  or otherwise act in respect of, such
holder's right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the
manner  provided  in  such  Right  Certificate  and in this  Agreement.  Without
limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is
specifically  acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate
remedy at law for any breach of this  Agreement and will be entitled to specific
performance of the obligations  under,  and injunctive  relief against actual or
threatened  violations  of  the  obligations  of any  Person  subject  to,  this
Agreement.

                  Section 16.  Agreement of Right Holders.  Every holder of a
                               --------------------------
Right,  by  accepting  the same,  consents  and agrees  with the Company and the
Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:

                  (a)  prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares of the
Company;

                  (b) after the  Distribution  Date, the Right  Certificates are
transferable  only on the registry  books of the Rights Agent if  surrendered at
the principal  office of the Rights Agent,  duly  endorsed or  accompanied  by a
proper instrument of transfer; and

                  (c) the  Company  and the Rights  Agent may deem and treat the
Person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution  Date,
the associated  Common Shares  certificate)  is registered as the absolute owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced  thereby  (notwithstanding  any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right  Certificates or the associated  Common Shares
certificate  made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights  Agent) for all
purposes  whatsoever,  and neither  the  Company  nor the Rights  Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary.

                  Section 17.  Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
                               -------------------------------------
Stockholder.  No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to
- - -----------
vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or any other  securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable
on the exercise of the Rights represented  thereby, nor shall anything contained
herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any
Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or
any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter  submitted to
stockholders  at any  meeting  thereof,  or to give or  withhold  consent to any
corporate  action,  or to receive notice of meetings or other actions  affecting
stockholders  (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription  rights,  or otherwise,  until the Right or Rights  evidenced by
such  Right  Certificate  shall  have  been  exercised  in  accordance  with the
provisions hereof.

                  Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to
                              ---------------------------
pay to the Rights Agent reasonable  compensation for all services rendered by it
hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent,  its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other  disbursements  incurred by the Rights Agent
in the  administration  and  execution  of this  Agreement  and the exercise and
performance  of its duties  hereunder.  The Company also agrees to indemnify the
Rights  Agent  for,  and to hold  it  harmless  against,  any  loss,  liability,
obligation,  damage or expense (including  reasonable  attorneys' fees and other
professional services)  (collectively,  "Losses"),  incurred without negligence,
bad faith or willful  misconduct on the part of the Rights  Agent,  for anything
done or  omitted by the  Rights  Agent in  connection  with the  acceptance  and
administration of this Agreement,  including,  without limitation, the costs and
expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises.

                  The  Rights  Agent  shall  be  protected  and  shall  incur no
liability and shall be  indemnified  for and held  harmless  against any and all
Losses  for, or in respect  of, any action  taken,  suffered or omitted by it in
connection with, its  administration  of this Agreement (i) in reliance upon any
Right  Certificate or certificate  for the Preferred  Shares or Common Shares or
for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power
of  attorney,  endorsement,   affidavit,  letter,  notice,  direction,  consent,
certificate,  statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to be signed,  executed and, where necessary,  verified or acknowledged,  by
the proper person or persons,  or (ii)  otherwise  upon the advice of counsel as
set forth in Section 20  hereof.  Anything  in this  Agreement  to the  contrary
notwithstanding,  in no event  shall the  Rights  Agent be liable  for  special,
indirect or consequential  loss or damage of any kind whatsoever  (including but
not limited to lost  profits),  even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the
likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

                  Section 19.  Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
                               --------------------------------------------
Rights Agent.  Any corporation or other Person into which the Rights Agent or
- - ------------
any successor  Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be  consolidated,
or any corporation or other Person resulting from any merger or consolidation to
which the Rights Agent or any  successor  Rights Agent shall be a party,  or any
corporation or other Person  succeeding to the stock transfer or corporate trust
business  of the  Rights  Agent  or any  successor  Rights  Agent,  shall be the
successor  to the Rights  Agent under this  Agreement  without the  execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto;
provided, that such corporation or other Person would be eligible for
- - --------
appointment  as a  successor  Rights  Agent under the  provisions  of Section 21
hereof.  In case at the time such  successor  Rights Agent shall  succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement,  any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned  but not delivered,  any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature  of  the  predecessor  Rights  Agent  and  deliver  such  Right
Certificates  so  countersigned;  and in  case  at that  time  any of the  Right
Certificates shall not have been  countersigned,  any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights
Agent or in the name of the successor  Rights Agent;  and in all such cases such
Right  Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates
and in this Agreement.

                  In case at any  time  the name of the  Rights  Agent  shall be
changed  and at  such  time  any of  the  Right  Certificates  shall  have  been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Right  Certificates  so  countersigned;  and in
case  at  that  time  any  of  the  Right   Certificates  shall  not  have  been
countersigned,  the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates  either
in its prior  name or in its  changed  name;  and in all such  cases  such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in
this Agreement.

                  Section 20.  Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
                               ----------------------
undertakes  the  duties  and  obligations  imposed  by this  Agreement  upon the
following terms and  conditions,  by all of which the Company and the holders of
Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

                  (a) The Rights Agent may consult  with legal  counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete  authorization  and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in  accordance  with or in  reliance on
such opinion.

                  (b)  Whenever  in the  performance  of its  duties  under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter be proved or  established  by the Company  prior to taking,  suffering or
omitting any action  hereunder,  such fact or matter  (unless other  evidence in
respect  thereof  be  herein  specifically  prescribed)  may  be  deemed  to  be
conclusively  proved  and  established  by  a  certificate  in  form  reasonably
satisfactory to the Rights Agent signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board,
the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or
the  Secretary  of the  Company  and  delivered  to the Rights  Agent;  and such
certificate  shall be full  authorization  to the  Rights  Agent for any  action
taken,  suffered or omitted to be taken in good faith by it under the provisions
of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

                  (c) The Rights Agent shall be liable  hereunder to the Company
and any  other  Person  only  for its  own  negligence,  bad  faith  or  willful
misconduct.
                  (d) The Rights  Agent  shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals  contained in this Agreement or in the
Right  Certificates  (except  its  countersignature  thereof)  or be required to
verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to
have been made by the Company only.

                  (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any  responsibility in
respect of the validity of this  Agreement or the execution and delivery  hereof
(except  the due  execution  hereof by the  Rights  Agent) or in  respect of the
validity or  execution  of any Right  Certificate  (except its  countersignature
thereof);  nor shall it be  responsible  for any  breach by the  Company  of any
covenant or condition  contained in this Agreement or in any Right  Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any change in the  exercisability  of the Rights
(including the Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) or any
adjustment in the terms of the Rights  (including  the manner,  method or amount
thereof) provided for in this Agreement, or the ascertaining of the existence of
facts that would require any such change or  adjustment  (except with respect to
the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right  Certificates after actual notice that
such change or  adjustment  is required);  nor shall it be  responsible  for any
determination  of the market  value of the  Rights or any  Common  Shares of the
Company pursuant to the provisions  hereof; nor shall it by any act hereunder be
deemed  to make  any  representation  or  warranty  as to the  authorization  or
reservation of any Preferred  Shares to be issued  pursuant to this Agreement or
any Right  Certificate or as to whether any Preferred  Shares will, when issued,
be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

                  (f)  The  Company  agrees  that  it  will  perform,   execute,
acknowledge  and deliver or cause to be performed,  executed,  acknowledged  and
delivered  all such further and other acts,  instruments  and  assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.

                  (g) The Rights  Agent is hereby  authorized  and  directed  to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
any  one  of the  Chairman  of the  Board,  the  Chief  Executive  Officer,  the
President,  any Vice  President,  the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or  instructions in connection with its
duties,  and it shall not be liable for any action taken, or suffered or omitted
by it in good faith in accordance  with  instructions of any such officer or for
any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.

                  (h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the  Company  may be  interested,  or  contract  with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise  act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

                  (i) The  Rights  Agent may  execute  and  exercise  any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through  its  attorneys  or agents,  and the Rights  Agent shall not be
answerable or  accountable  for any act,  default,  neglect or misconduct of any
such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company  resulting from any such
act, default,  neglect or misconduct,  provided reasonable care was exercised in
the selection and continued employment thereof.

                  (j) No provision of this  Agreement  shall  require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability
in the  performance  of any of its duties  hereunder  or in the  exercise of its
rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such
funds  or  adequate  indemnification  against  such  risk  or  liability  is not
reasonably assured to it.

                  Section 21.  Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
                               ----------------------
successor  Rights Agent may resign and be discharged  from its duties under this
Agreement  upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to
each transfer  agent of the Common Shares of the Company or Preferred  Shares by
registered or certified  mail, and to the holders of the Right  Certificates  by
first-class  mail.  The  Company  may remove the Rights  Agent or any  successor
Rights  Agent upon  thirty (30) days'  notice in  writing,  mailed to the Rights
Agent or successor  Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent
of the  Common  Shares of the  Company  or  Preferred  Shares by  registered  or
certified  mail,  and to the holders of the Right  Certificates  by  first-class
mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall  otherwise  become
incapable of acting,  the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent.
If the  Company  shall fail to make such  appointment  within a period of thirty
(30) days after giving  notice of such removal or after it has been  notified in
writing of such  resignation  or incapacity  by the  resigning or  incapacitated
Rights  Agent or by the  holder of a Right  Certificate  (who  shall,  with such
notice,  submit such holder's Right  Certificate for inspection by the Company),
then the registered  holder of any Right  Certificate  may apply to any court of
competent  jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor
Rights  Agent,  whether  appointed  by the Company or by such a court,  shall be
either (a) a  corporation  organized  and doing  business  under the laws of the
United States or of any state of the United States (so long as such  corporation
is authorized to do business as a banking  institution under such laws), in good
standing,  which is authorized  under such laws to exercise  corporate  trust or
stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or
state authorities and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a
combined  capital and surplus of at least $50  million,  or (b) an  affiliate of
such a  corporation.  After  appointment,  the  successor  Rights Agent shall be
vested with the same powers,  rights,  duties and  responsibilities as if it had
been  originally  named as Rights  Agent  without  further act or deed;  but the
predecessor  Rights  Agent shall  deliver and transfer to the  successor  Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance,  conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective  date of any such  appointment  the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor  Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Shares of the Company or Preferred Shares,  and mail a notice thereof
in  writing to the  registered  holders  of the Right  Certificates.  Failure to
appoint a  successor  Rights  Agent or to give any notice  provided  for in this
Section 21,  however,  or any defect  therein,  shall not affect the legality or
validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of
the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

                  Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates Notwithstanding
                              ----------------------------------
any of the  provisions of this  Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary,  the
Company may, at its option,  issue new Right  Certificates  evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment
or change  in the  Purchase  Price and the  number or kind or class of shares or
other securities or property  purchasable  under the Right  Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

                  Section 23.  Redemption.  (a) The Board of Directors
                               ----------
of the Company may, at its option,  at any time prior to such time as any Person
becomes an Acquiring Person and up to the Distribution  Date, redeem all but not
less  than all the then  outstanding  Rights at a  redemption  price of $.01 per
Right,  appropriately  adjusted to reflect any stock  split,  stock  dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The redemption of the Rights
by the Board of Directors may be made  effective at such time, on such basis and
with  such  conditions  as the Board of  Directors  in its sole  discretion  may
establish.

                  (b)  Immediately  upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company  ordering the redemption of the Rights  pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this  Section 23, and without  any  further  action and without any notice,  the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the
holders of Rights shall be to receive the  Redemption  Price.  The Company shall
promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the
                                                    --------  -------
failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity
of such  redemption.  Within  ten (10) days  after  such  action of the Board of
Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a notice
of  redemption to all the holders of the then  outstanding  Rights at their last
addresses as they appear upon the  registry  books of the Rights Agent or, prior
to the  Distribution  Date, on the registry  books of the transfer agent for the
Common  Shares of the Company.  Any notice which is mailed in the manner  herein
provided shall be deemed given,  whether or not the holder  receives the notice.
Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made.  Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or
Associates  may redeem,  acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in
any  manner  other  than that  specifically  set forth in this  Section 23 or in
Section 24 hereof,  and other than in  connection  with the  purchase  of Common
Shares of the Company prior to the Distribution Date.

                  Section 24.  Exchange.  (a) The Board of Directors of
                               --------
the  Company  may,  at its  option,  at any time  after any  Person  becomes  an
Acquiring  Person,  exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable
Rights  (which  shall not include  Rights that have become void  pursuant to the
provisions of Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof) for Common Shares of the Company at an
exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right,  appropriately adjusted to reflect
any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction  occurring after the date
hereof  (such  exchange  ratio being  hereinafter  referred to as the  "Exchange
Ratio").  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  the Board of Directors  shall not be
empowered to effect such  exchange at any time after any Person  (other than the
Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or any such  Subsidiary,  or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for
or pursuant to the terms of any such plan),  together  with all  Affiliates  and
Associates of such Person,  becomes the  Beneficial  Owner of 50% or more of the
Common Shares of the Company then outstanding.

                  (b)  Immediately  upon the action of the Board of Directors of
the Company  ordering  the exchange of any Rights  pursuant to paragraph  (a) of
this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right
to exercise  such Rights  shall  terminate  and the only right  thereafter  of a
holder of such Rights  shall be to receive  that number of Common  Shares of the
Company equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the
Exchange  Ratio.  The Company  shall  promptly  give  public  notice of any such
exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such
          --------  -------
notice  shall not affect the  validity of such  exchange.  The Company  promptly
shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at
their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent.
Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein  provided shall be deemed given,
whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will
state the method by which the  exchange of the Common  Shares of the Company for
Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of
Rights which will be exchanged.  Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata
based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant
to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

                  (c) In the event that  there  shall not be  sufficient  Common
Shares of the Company  issued but not  outstanding or authorized but unissued to
permit any exchange of Rights as  contemplated  in accordance  with this Section
24, the Company  shall take all such  action as may be  necessary  to  authorize
additional  Common  Shares of the  Company  for  issuance  upon  exchange of the
Rights.  In the event the Company shall,  after good faith effort,  be unable to
take all such action as may be  necessary to authorize  such  additional  Common
Shares of the Company,  the Company shall  substitute,  for each Common Share of
the Company that would  otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number
of Preferred  Shares or fraction  thereof such that the current per share market
price of one Preferred  Share  multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to
the current per share  market price of one Common Share of the Company as of the
date of issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.

                  (d) The Company  shall not be required to issue  fractions  of
Common  Shares of the  Company  or to  distribute  certificates  which  evidence
fractional  Common  Shares of the  Company.  In lieu of such  fractional  Common
Shares,   the  Company  shall  pay  to  the  registered  holders  of  the  Right
Certificates  with regard to which such fractional  Common Shares of the Company
would  otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
current market value of a whole Common Share of the Company. For the purposes of
this  paragraph  (d), the current  market value of a whole Common Share shall be
the closing  price of a Common Share of the Company (as  determined  pursuant to
the second sentence of Section  11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately
prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section 24.

                  Section 25.  Notice of Certain Events.
                               ------------------------
(a) In case the Company shall  propose (i) to pay any dividend  payable in stock
of any  class to the  holders  of its  Preferred  Shares  or to make  any  other
distribution  to the  holders  of its  Preferred  Shares  (other  than a regular
quarterly cash dividend),  (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred  Shares
rights or warrants to  subscribe  for or to purchase  any  additional  Preferred
Shares  or  shares  of stock of any  class or any  other  securities,  rights or
options,  (iii) to effect any  reclassification  of its Preferred  Shares (other
than a reclassification  involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred
Shares),  (iv) to effect any  consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect
any sale or other  transfer  (or to permit  one or more of its  Subsidiaries  to
effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions,  of 50% or more
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  (taken as a
whole)  to, any other  Person,  (v) to effect the  liquidation,  dissolution  or
winding up of the Company,  or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common
Shares of the  Company  payable in Common  Shares of the  Company or to effect a
subdivision,  combination or  consolidation  of the Common Shares of the Company
(by  reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares
of the Company),  then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder
of a Right  Certificate,  in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such
proposed  action,  which shall  specify the record date for the purposes of such
stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification,    consolidation,   merger,   sale,   transfer,   liquidation,
dissolution,  or  winding  up is to take  place  and the  date of  participation
therein by the  holders of the Common  Shares of the  Company  and/or  Preferred
Shares,  if any such date is to be fixed,  and such notice  shall be so given in
the case of any  action  covered  by clause  (i) or (ii) above at least ten (10)
days prior to the record date for  determining  holders of the Preferred  Shares
for purposes of such action,  and in the case of any such other action, at least
ten (10) days  prior to the date of the  taking of such  proposed  action or the
date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares of the Company
and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.

                  (b) In case the event set forth in  Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof
shall occur,  then the Company shall as soon as practicable  thereafter  give to
each holder of a Right  Certificate,  in  accordance  with Section 26 hereof,  a
notice of the  occurrence of such event,  which notice shall describe such event
and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section  11(a)(ii)
hereof.

                  Section 26.  Notices.  Notices or demands authorized by
                               -------
this  Agreement  to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any
Right  Certificate to or on the Company shall be  sufficiently  given or made if
sent by first-class mail,  postage prepaid,  addressed (until another address is
filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

                           Long Island Bancorp, Inc.
                           201 Old Country Road
                           Melville, New York 11747-2724
                           Attention:  Corporate Secretary

Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof,  any notice or demand authorized
by this  Agreement  to be given or made by the  Company  or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently  given or made
if sent by first-class mail,  postage prepaid,  addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

                           ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
                           450 West 33rd Street
                           15th Floor
                           New York, New York  10001
                           Attention:  Vice President - Administration

Notices  or  demands  authorized  by this  Agreement  to be given or made by the
Company or the  Rights  Agent to the  holder of any Right  Certificate  shall be
sufficiently  given  or  made  if sent by  first-class  mail,  postage  prepaid,
addressed  to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the Company.

                  Section 27.  Supplements and Amendments. The Company may
                               --------------------------
from  time to time and the  Rights  Agent  shall,  if the  Company  so  directs,
supplement or amend this Agreement  without the approval of any holders of Right
Certificates  in order to cure any  ambiguity,  to  correct  or  supplement  any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions  herein,  or to make any other  provisions with respect to the Rights
which the  Company may deem  necessary  or  desirable,  any such  supplement  or
amendment  to be  evidenced  by a writing  signed by the  Company and the Rights
Agent; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person
       --------  -------
becomes an Acquiring  Person,  this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner
which would adversely  affect the interests of the holders of Rights (other than
any Acquiring  Person and its Affiliates and  Associates).  Without limiting the
foregoing,  the Company may at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes
an Acquiring  Person amend this  Agreement to (a) lower the thresholds set forth
in Sections 1(a) and 3(a) hereof to not less than the greater of (i) the largest
percentage  of the  outstanding  Common  Shares of the Company then known by the
Company to be  beneficially  owned by any Person  (other than the  Company,  any
Subsidiary  of the  Company,  any  employee  benefit  plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company,  or any entity  holding  Common Shares of the Company
for or  pursuant  to the terms of any such  plan)  and (ii) 5%,  (b) fix a Final
Expiration  Date later  than the date set forth in Section 7 hereof,  (c) reduce
the Redemption Price or (d) increase the Purchase Price.

                  Section 28.  Successors.   All  the  covenants  and
                               ----------
provisions of this  Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights
Agent shall bind and inure to the  benefit of their  respective  successors  and
assigns hereunder.

                  Section 29.  Benefits of this Agreement.  Nothing in this
                               --------------------------
Agreement  shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company,  the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution  Date, the Common Shares of the Company) any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the
sole and exclusive  benefit of the Company,  the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right  Certificates  (and,  prior to the  Distribution  Date, the
Common Shares of the Company).

                  Section 30.  Severability.  If any term, provision,
                               ------------
covenant  or  restriction  of this  Agreement  is held by a court  of  competent
jurisdiction  or other  authority  to be  invalid,  void or  unenforceable,  the
remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement
shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected,  impaired
or invalidated.

                  Section 31.  Governing Law. This  Agreement and
                               -------------
each Right  Certificate  issued  hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made
under the laws of the State of Delaware and for all  purposes  shall be governed
by and  construed  in  accordance  with the  laws of such  State  applicable  to
contracts to be made and performed entirely within such State.

                  Section 32.  Counterparts.  This  Agreement may be
                               ------------
executed in any number of counterparts and each of such  counterparts  shall for
all  purposes  be  deemed to be an  original,  and all such  counterparts  shall
together constitute but one and the same instrument.

                  Section 33.  Descriptive Headings.
                               --------------------
Descriptive  headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for
convenience  only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of
any of the provisions hereof.

                  Section 34.  Administration.   The  Board  of
                               --------------
Directors  of the  Company  shall  have the  exclusive  power and  authority  to
administer  and interpret the  provisions of this  Agreement and to exercise all
rights and powers specifically  granted to the Board of Directors of the Company
or to the Company or as may be necessary or advisable in the  administration  of
this   Agreement.   All   such   actions,   calculations,   determinations   and
interpretations  which are done or made by the Board of Directors of the Company
in good faith shall be final,  conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights
Agent,  the holders of the Rights  (and,  prior to the  Distribution  Date,  the
Common  Shares of the Company)  and all other  parties and shall not subject the
Board of Directors of the Company to any liability to the holders of the Rights.



<PAGE>


                  IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  hereto  have  caused  this
Agreement  to be duly  executed and  attested,  all as of the day and year first
above written.

                                 Long Island Bancorp, Inc.

Attest:


By /s/  Roger Teurfs            By /s/  Mark Fuster
   -----------------               ----------------
        Roger Teurfs                    Mark Fuster
        Secretary                       Chief Financial Officer

Attest:                           ChaseMellon Shareholder
                                     Services, L.L.C.


By /s/  Thomas R. Watt          By /s/  Beverly Verrico
   -------------------             --------------------
        Thomas R. Watt                  Beverly Verrico
        Assistant Vice President        Assistant Vice President

<PAGE>

                                                              EXHIBIT A




                                      FORM

                                       of

                           CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS

                                       of

                  SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

                                       of

                            LONG ISLAND BANCORP, INC.

                         (Pursuant to Section 151 of the
                        Delaware General Corporation Law)

                      ------------------------------------


         Long Island Bancorp,  Inc., a corporation  organized and existing under
the General  Corporation  Law of the State of Delaware  (hereinafter  called the
"Company"),  hereby  certifies that the following  resolution was adopted by the
Board of  Directors  of the  Company as  required  by Section 151 of the General
Corporation Law at a meeting duly called and held on April 22, 1997:


         RESOLVED,  that pursuant to the authority  granted to and vested in the
Board of Directors of this Company  (hereinafter called the "Board of Directors"
or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company,  the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of
Preferred  Stock,  par value  $.01 per share  (the  "Preferred  Stock"),  of the
Company and hereby states the  designation  and number of shares,  and fixes the
relative rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:

                  Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock:

                  Section 1.  Designation and Amount.  The shares of this series
                              ----------------------
shall be  designated  as "Series A Junior  Participating  Preferred  Stock" (the
"Series A Preferred  Stock") and the number of shares  constituting the Series A
Preferred  Stock shall be 300,000.  Such  number of shares may be  increased  or
decreased by resolution of the Board of  Directors;  provided,  that no decrease
                                                     --------
shall  reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred  Stock to a number less
than the number of shares then  outstanding  plus the number of shares  reserved
for issuance  upon the exercise of  outstanding  options,  rights or warrants or
upon  the  conversion  of any  outstanding  securities  issued  by  the  Company
convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.

                  Section 2.  Dividends and Distributions.
                              ---------------------------

                  (A)  Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any
         series  of  Preferred  Stock  (or any other  stock)  ranking  prior and
         superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the
         holders of shares of Series A Preferred  Stock,  in  preference  to the
         holders of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"),
         of the  Company,  and of any other junior  stock,  shall be entitled to
         receive,  when,  as and if  declared by the Board of  Directors  out of
         funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in
         cash on the first day of March,  June,  September  and December in each
         year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly  Dividend
         Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
         after the first  issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A
         Preferred  Stock,  in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent)
         equal to the  greater  of (a) $1 or (b)  subject to the  provision  for
         adjustment  hereinafter  set forth,  100 times the  aggregate per share
         amount of all cash  dividends,  and 100 times the  aggregate  per share
         amount   (payable  in  kind)  of  all   non-cash   dividends  or  other
         distributions,  other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock
         or a  subdivision  of  the  outstanding  shares  of  Common  Stock  (by
         reclassification or otherwise),  declared on the Common Stock since the
         immediately  preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect
         to the first Quarterly  Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance
         of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the
         event the Company  shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
         Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision
         or combination or  consolidation  of the  outstanding  shares of Common
         Stock (by  reclassification  or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
         in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of
         Common  Stock,  then in each such case the  amount to which  holders of
         shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled  immediately  prior to
         such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted
         by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the
         number of shares of Common  Stock  outstanding  immediately  after such
         event and the  denominator  of which is the  number of shares of Common
         Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                  (B) The Company  shall declare a dividend or  distribution  on
         the Series A  Preferred  Stock as  provided  in  paragraph  (A) of this
         Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the
         Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock);
         provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been
         declared on the Common  Stock during the period  between any  Quarterly
         Dividend  Payment  Date  and the  next  subsequent  Quarterly  Dividend
         Payment  Date,  a dividend  of $1 per share on the  Series A  Preferred
         Stock  shall  nevertheless  be  payable  on such  subsequent  Quarterly
         Dividend Payment Date.

                  (C)  Dividends  shall  begin to accrue  and be  cumulative  on
         outstanding  shares  of Series A  Preferred  Stock  from the  Quarterly
         Dividend  Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares,
         unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for
         the first Quarterly  Dividend  Payment Date, in which case dividends on
         such  shares  shall  begin  to  accrue  from  the date of issue of such
         shares,  or unless the date of issue is a  Quarterly  Dividend  Payment
         Date or is a date  after  the  record  date  for the  determination  of
         holders of shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock  entitled  to receive a
         quarterly  dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
         either of which  events  such  dividends  shall  begin to accrue and be
         cumulative  from such  Quarterly  Dividend  Payment  Date.  Accrued but
         unpaid dividends shall not bear interest.  Dividends paid on the shares
         of Series A Preferred  Stock in an amount less than the total amount of
         such  dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
         allocated pro rata on a  share-by-share  basis among all such shares at
         the time outstanding.  The Board of Directors may fix a record date for
         the  determination  of  holders of shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock
         entitled  to receive  payment of a dividend  or  distribution  declared
         thereon,  which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the
         date fixed for the payment thereof.

                  Section 3.  Voting Rights.  The holders of shares of Series A
                              -------------
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

                  (A) Subject to the provision for  adjustment  hereinafter  set
         forth,  each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
         thereof  to  100  votes  on all  matters  submitted  to a  vote  of the
         stockholders of the Company. In the event the Company shall at any time
         declare or pay any  dividend on the Common  Stock  payable in shares of
         Common Stock,  or effect a subdivision or combination or  consolidation
         of the  outstanding  shares of Common  Stock  (by  reclassification  or
         otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into
         a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such
         case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series
         A Preferred Stock were entitled  immediately  prior to such event shall
         be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction,  the numerator of
         which is the number of shares of Common Stock  outstanding  immediately
         after such event and the  denominator  of which is the number of shares
         of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                  (B)  Except  as  otherwise   provided  herein,  in  any  other
         Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any
         similar  stock,  in the Restated  Certificate of  Incorporation  of the
         Company or by law,  the holders of shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock
         and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other  capital  stock
         of the Company  having general voting rights shall vote together as one
         class  on all  matters  submitted  to a  vote  of  stockholders  of the
         Company.

                  (C) Except as set forth  herein,  or as otherwise  provided by
         law,  holders of Series A Preferred  Stock shall have no special voting
         rights and their  consent  shall not be required  (except to the extent
         they are  entitled  to vote with  holders of Common  Stock as set forth
         herein) for taking any corporate action.

                  Section 4.  Certain Restrictions.
                              --------------------

                  (A)  Whenever  quarterly   dividends  or  other  dividends  or
         distributions  payable on the Series A  Preferred  Stock as provided in
         Section 2 are in arrears,  thereafter  and until all accrued and unpaid
         dividends  and  distributions,  whether or not  declared,  on shares of
         Series A Preferred Stock  outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
         Company shall not:

                           (i)  declare  or pay  dividends,  or make  any  other
                  distributions,  on any shares of stock ranking  junior (either
                  as to dividends or upon  liquidation,  dissolution  or winding
                  up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;

                           (ii)  declare  or pay  dividends,  or make any  other
                  distributions,  on any  shares  of stock  ranking  on a parity
                  (either as to dividends or upon  liquidation,  dissolution  or
                  winding  up)  with  the  Series  A  Preferred  Stock,   except
                  dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all
                  such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears
                  in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all
                  such shares are then entitled;

                           (iii)  redeem or  purchase or  otherwise  acquire for
                  consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to
                  dividends or upon  liquidation,  dissolution or winding up) to
                  the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Company may at
                  any time redeem,  purchase or otherwise  acquire shares of any
                  such junior  stock in exchange  for shares of any stock of the
                  Company ranking junior (as to dividends and upon  dissolution,
                  liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or

                           (iv)  redeem or  purchase  or  otherwise  acquire for
                  consideration  any shares of Series A Preferred  Stock, or any
                  shares  of  stock  ranking  on a  parity  with  the  Series  A
                  Preferred  Stock,  except in accordance  with a purchase offer
                  made in writing or by publication  (as determined by the Board
                  of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as
                  the Board of Directors,  after consideration of the respective
                  annual   dividend   rates  and  other   relative   rights  and
                  preferences  of  the  respective  series  and  classes,  shall
                  determine  in good  faith  will  result in fair and  equitable
                  treatment among the respective series or classes.

                  (B) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company
         to purchase or otherwise  acquire for consideration any shares of stock
         of the Company  unless the Company could,  under  paragraph (A) of this
         Section 4,  purchase or otherwise  acquire such shares at such time and
         in such manner.

                  Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred
                             -----------------
Stock  purchased or otherwise  acquired by the Company in any manner  whatsoever
shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition  thereof.  All such
shares shall upon their  cancellation  become  authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred  Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred  Stock
subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein,  in the
Restated   Certificate  of  Incorporation,   or  in  any  other  Certificate  of
Designations  creating a series of  Preferred  Stock or any similar  stock or as
otherwise required by law.

                  Section 6.  Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any
                              --------------------------------------
liquidation,  dissolution or winding up of the Company, no distribution shall be
made (1) to the holders of shares of stock  ranking  junior  (upon  liquidation,
dissolution  or  winding  up) to the  Series A  Preferred  Stock  unless,  prior
thereto,  the holders of shares of Series A Preferred  Stock shall have received
$100 per  share,  plus an amount  equal to  accrued  and  unpaid  dividends  and
distributions  thereon,  whether or not  declared,  to the date of such payment,
provided  that the  holders  of  shares  of Series A  Preferred  Stock  shall be
entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share,  subject to the provision for
adjustment  hereinafter set forth, equal to 100 times the aggregate amount to be
distributed  per share to  holders  of shares  of  Common  Stock,  or (2) to the
holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably
on the Series A Preferred  Stock and all such parity stock in  proportion to the
total  amounts to which the  holders of all such shares are  entitled  upon such
liquidation,  dissolution  or winding up. In the event the Company  shall at any
time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock,  or  effect  a  subdivision  or  combination  or   consolidation  of  the
outstanding  shares of Common Stock (by  reclassification  or otherwise  than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock,  then in each such case the aggregate amount to which
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the  preceding  sentence  shall be
adjusted by multiplying  such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock  outstanding  immediately  after such event and
the  denominator  of which is the  number of shares  of Common  Stock  that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                  Section 7.  Consolidation, Merger, etc.  In case the Company
                              --------------------------
shall enter into any consolidation,  merger, combination or other transaction in
which the shares of Common Stock are  exchanged  for or changed into other stock
or securities,  cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share
of Series A Preferred  Stock shall at the same time be  similarly  exchanged  or
changed  into an amount  per  share,  subject to the  provision  for  adjustment
hereinafter  set  forth,  equal to 100  times  the  aggregate  amount  of stock,
securities,  cash and/or any other property  (payable in kind),  as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or  exchanged.
In the event the Company  shall at any time  declare or pay any  dividend on the
Common  Stock  payable in shares of Common  Stock,  or effect a  subdivision  or
combination  or  consolidation  of the  outstanding  shares of Common  Stock (by
reclassification  or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common  Stock,  then in each
such case the amount set forth in the  preceding  sentence  with  respect to the
exchange  or change of shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying  such amount by a fraction,  the numerator of which is the number of
shares  of  Common  Stock  outstanding  immediately  after  such  event  and the
denominator  of  which is the  number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock  that  were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

                  Section 8.  No Redemption.  The shares of Series A Preferred 
                              -------------
Stock shall not be redeemable.
                              

                  Section 9.  Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, 
                              ----
with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior
to all series of any other class of Preferred Stock.

                  Section   10.  Amendment.   The Restated Certificate of
                                 ---------
Incorporation  of the  Company  shall not be amended in any manner  which  would
materially  alter or change the  powers,  preferences  or special  rights of the
Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely  without the affirmative
vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A
Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.


         IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,   Long  Island  Bancorp,  Inc.  has  caused  this
Certificate of Designations of Series A Junior Participating  Preferred Stock to
be duly executed by its Chairman of the Board this 22nd day of April, 1997.

                                    Long Island Bancorp, Inc.



                                    /s/  John J. Conefry, Jr.
                                    -------------------------
                                         John J. Conefry, Jr.
                                         Chairman of the Board







<PAGE>


                                                      Exhibit B



                            Form of Right Certificate


Certificate No. R-                                     _________________ Rights

                  NOT EXERCISABLE  AFTER MAY 6, 2007 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
                  EXCHANGE OCCURS.  THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $.01
                  PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
                  AGREEMENT.  UNDER CERTAIN  CIRCUMSTANCES,  AS SET FORTH IN THE
                  RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS OWNED BY ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES
                  AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) SHALL
                  BECOME NULL AND VOID.


                                Right Certificate

                            Long Island Bancorp, Inc.


                  This certifies that _________________,  or registered assigns,
is the registered  owner of the number of Rights set forth above,  each of which
entitles the owner thereof,  subject to the terms,  provisions and conditions of
the  Rights  Agreement,  dated as of April 22,  1997 (the  "Rights  Agreement"),
between Long Island Bancorp,  Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),  and
ChaseMellon Shareholder Services,  L.L.C. (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from
the Company at any time after the Distribution  Date (as such term is defined in
the Rights  Agreement)  and prior to 5:00 P.M.,  Eastern time, on May 6, 2007 at
the principal  office of the Rights Agent,  or at the office of its successor as
Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A
Junior  Participating  Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred
Shares"), of the Company, at a purchase price of $140.00 per one one-hundreth of
a Preferred Share (the "Purchase  Price"),  upon  presentation  and surrender of
this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed.  The
number of Rights  evidenced  by this  Right  Certificate  (and the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share which may be purchased upon exercise hereof)
set forth  above,  and the Purchase  Price set forth  above,  are the number and
Purchase Price as of May 6, 1997,  based on the Preferred  Shares as constituted
at such date. As provided in the Rights  Agreement,  the Purchase  Price and the
number of one  one-hundredths  of a Preferred  Share which may be purchased upon
the exercise of the Rights  evidenced by this Right  Certificate  are subject to
modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

                  This  Right  Certificate  is  subject  to all  of  the  terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement,  which terms,  provisions and
conditions  are hereby  incorporated  herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations,  duties and immunities hereunder
of the Rights  Agent,  the Company  and the  holders of the Right  Certificates.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of
the Company and the above-mentioned offices of the Rights Agent.

                  This  Right   Certificate,   with  or  without   other   Right
Certificates, upon surrender at the principal office of the Rights Agent, may be
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right  Certificates of like tenor and
date evidencing  Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number
of Preferred  Shares as the Rights  evidenced by the Right  Certificate or Right
Certificates  surrendered  shall have entitled such holder to purchase.  If this
Right  Certificate  shall be exercised in part,  the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender  hereof another Right  Certificate or Right  Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

                  Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement,  the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption
price  of $.01  per  Right  or (ii)  may be  exchanged  in  whole or in part for
Preferred  Shares or shares of the Company's  Common  Stock,  par value $.01 per
share.

                  No  fractional  Preferred  Shares  will  be  issued  upon  the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are
integral  multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the
election of the  Company,  be  evidenced by  depositary  receipts),  but in lieu
thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

                  No holder of this Right  Certificate shall be entitled to vote
or receive  dividends  or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the  Preferred
Shares  or of any  other  securities  of the  Company  which  may at any time be
issuable on the  exercise  hereof,  nor shall  anything  contained in the Rights
Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof,  as such, any
of the  rights  of a  stockholder  of the  Company  or any right to vote for the
election  of  directors  or upon any matter  submitted  to  stockholders  at any
meeting thereof,  or to give or withhold consent to any corporate  action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions  affecting  stockholders  (except as
provided  in the Rights  Agreement),  or to receive  dividends  or  subscription
rights,  or  otherwise,  until  the  Right or  Rights  evidenced  by this  Right
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

                  This Right  Certificate  shall not be valid or obligatory  for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.


<PAGE>


                  WITNESS the facsimile  signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of _________________, ____.

ATTEST:                                  Long Island Bancorp, Inc.

_____________________________       By________________________________


Countersigned:


[Rights Agent]


By__________________________________
       Authorized Signature


<PAGE>


                    Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate


                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
                               ------------------



                (To be executed by the registered  holder if such holder desires
               to transfer the Right Certificate.)


                  FOR VALUE RECEIVED __________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto ____________________

- - -----------------------------------------------------------------
          (Please print name and address of transferee)
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably  constitute and appoint  _________________  Attorney, to
transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named  Company,
with full power of substitution.


Dated: _________________, ____


                                    ----------------------------------
                                    Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

                  Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers,  Inc., or a commercial  bank or trust company or a Federal Savings Bank
that participates in the Securities  Transfer Agents Medallion Program having an
office or correspondent in the United States.

       - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

                  The undersigned  hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by
this Right  Certificate are not beneficially  owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).

                                    ----------------------------------
                                    Signature

       - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



<PAGE>


             Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued

                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
                          ----------------------------


              (To be executed if holder desires to exercise Rights
                     represented by the Right Certificate.)


To: Long Island Bancorp, Inc.

                  The  undersigned   hereby   irrevocably   elects  to  exercise
_________________  Rights  represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the
Preferred  Shares  issuable  upon the exercise of such Rights and requests  that
certificates for such Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

- - -----------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Please print name and address)
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------

If such  number of Rights  shall not be all the Rights  evidenced  by this Right
Certificate,  a new Right  Certificate for the balance  remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

- - -----------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Please print name and address)
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------

Dated: _________________, ____

                                    ----------------------------------
                                    Signature




Signature Guaranteed:

                  Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers,  Inc., or a commercial  bank or trust company or a Federal Savings Bank
that participates in the Securities  Transfer Agents Medallion Program having an
office or correspondent in the United States.


<PAGE>


             Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued
        - - - - - - - - --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


                  The undersigned  hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by
this Right  Certificate are not beneficially  owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Rights Agreement).

                                    ----------------------------------
                                    Signature
       - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


                                     NOTICE
                                     ------


                  The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase,  as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.

                  In the event the  certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment  or the Form of  Election  to  Purchase,  as the case may be,  is not
completed,  the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the  beneficial  owner of
the Rights  evidenced by this Right  Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or  Associate  thereof (as defined in the Rights  Agreement)  and such
Assignment or Election to Purchase will not be honored.


<PAGE>


        EXHIBIT C                                




                            LONG ISLAND BANCORP, INC.



                UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE
                RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS OWNED BY ANY PERSON WHO
                IS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN
                THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) SHALL BECOME NULL AND VOID


                          SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
                                PREFERRED SHARES


IN GENERAL
- - ----------

                  On April 22,  1997,  the  Board of  Directors  of Long  Island
Bancorp,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  declared a  dividend  of one  preferred  share
purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value
$.01 per share (the "Common Shares"), of the Company. The dividend is payable on
May 6, 1997 (the "Record Date") to the stockholders of record on that date. Each
Right  entitles  the  registered   holder  to  purchase  from  the  Company  one
one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior  Participating  Preferred Stock, par
value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Shares"), of the Company at a price of $140
per one  one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase  Price"),  subject to
adjustment.  The  description  and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement  dated as of April  22,  1997 (the  "Rights  Agreement")  between  the
Company and  ChaseMellon  Shareholder  Services,  L.L.C.,  as Rights  Agent (the
"Rights Agent").

DISTRIBUTION DATE
- - -----------------

                  Until the  earlier to occur of (i) 10 days  following a public
announcement  that a person or group of affiliated  or  associated  persons have
acquired  beneficial  ownership of 10% (which percentage may be reduced pursuant
to the Rights Agreement) or more of the outstanding Common Shares of the Company
(an  "Acquiring  Person") or (ii) 10 business days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors  prior to such time as any person
or group of  affiliated  persons  becomes an  Acquiring  Person)  following  the
commencement  of, or  announcement  of an  intention  to make, a tender offer or
exchange  offer  the  consummation  of  which  would  result  in the  beneficial
ownership by a person or group of 10% (which  percentage may be reduced pursuant
to the Rights  Agreement) or more of the outstanding  Common Shares (the earlier
of such  dates  being  called  the  "Distribution  Date"),  the  Rights  will be
evidenced,  with respect to any of the Common Share certificates  outstanding as
of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy of this Summary
of Rights attached thereto.


<PAGE>


TRANSFER OF RIGHTS
- - ------------------

                  The Rights  Agreement  provides that,  until the  Distribution
Date (or earlier  redemption or  expiration  of the Rights),  the Rights will be
transferred with and only with the Common Shares.  Until the  Distribution  Date
(or  earlier  redemption  or  expiration  of  the  Rights),   new  Common  Share
certificates  issued  after the Record  Date upon  transfer  or new  issuance of
Common  Shares will  contain a notation  incorporating  the Rights  Agreement by
reference.  Until the Distribution Date (or earlier  redemption or expiration of
the Rights),  the surrender for transfer of any  certificates  for Common Shares
outstanding as of the Record Date,  even without such notation or a copy of this
Summary of Rights being attached  thereto,  will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As
soon as  practicable  following the  Distribution  Date,  separate  certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record
of the Common  Shares as of the close of business on the  Distribution  Date and
such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

EXERCISE PERIOD
- - ---------------

                  The Rights are not exercisable  until the  Distribution  Date.
The Rights will expire on May 6, 2007 (the "Final Expiration Date"),  unless the
Final  Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier  redeemed or
exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.

ADJUSTMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE
- - ----------------------------

                  The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Preferred Shares
or other  securities  or  property  issuable,  upon  exercise  of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent  dilution (i) in the event of
a stock dividend on, or a subdivision,  combination or reclassification  of, the
Preferred  Shares,  (ii) upon the grant to  holders of the  Preferred  Shares of
certain  rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase  Preferred  Shares at a
price, or securities  convertible into Preferred Shares with a conversion price,
less than the  then-current  market price of the Preferred  Shares or (iii) upon
the distribution to holders of the Preferred Shares of evidences of indebtedness
or assets  (excluding  regular  periodic cash  dividends paid out of earnings or
retained  earnings or dividends  payable in Preferred Shares) or of subscription
rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

                  The  number  of  outstanding  Rights  and  the  number  of one
one-hundredths  of a Preferred  Share  issuable  upon exercise of each Right are
also subject to adjustment in the event of a stock split of the Common Shares or
a stock dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or  subdivisions,
consolidations or combinations of the Common Shares occurring, in any such case,
prior to the Distribution Date.



<PAGE>


PREFERRED SHARES
- - ----------------

                  Preferred Shares  purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not  be  redeemable.  Each  Preferred  Share  will  be  entitled  to  a  minimum
preferential  quarterly dividend payment of $1 per share but will be entitled to
an aggregate  dividend of 100 times the dividend  declared per Common Share.  In
the event of liquidation,  the holders of the Preferred  Shares will be entitled
to a  minimum  preferential  liquidation  payment  of $100 per share but will be
entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per Common Share.
Each  Preferred  Share  will have 100  votes,  voting  together  with the Common
Shares. Finally, in the event of any merger,  consolidation or other transaction
in which Common Shares are exchanged,  each Preferred  Share will be entitled to
receive  100 times the  amount  received  per  Common  Share.  These  rights are
protected by customary antidilution provisions.

                  Because  of the  nature  of the  Preferred  Shares'  dividend,
liquidation and voting rights, the value of the one one-hundredth  interest in a
Preferred Share  purchasable upon exercise of each Right should  approximate the
value of one Common Share.

EXERCISE OR EXCHANGE OF RIGHTS FOR COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY
- - --------------------------------------------------------------

                  In the  event  that  any  person  or group  of  affiliated  or
associated  persons becomes an Acquiring Person,  the Rights Agreement  provides
that proper  provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right,  other than
Rights  beneficially  owned by the Acquiring  Person  (which will  thereafter be
void),  will thereafter have the right to receive  (subject to adjustment)  upon
exercise  that number of Common  Shares  having a market  value of two times the
exercise  price of the Right.  At any time after any person or group  becomes an
Acquiring  Person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or
more of the outstanding Common Shares, the Board of Directors of the Company may
exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group, which will
have  become  void),  in whole or in part,  at an  exchange  ratio of one Common
Share,  or one  one-hundredth  of a Preferred Share (or of a share of a class or
series of the Company's  preferred stock having equivalent  rights,  preferences
and privileges), per Right (subject to adjustment).

                  The  Rights  Agreement  provides  that  none of the  Company's
directors  or officers  shall be deemed to  beneficially  own any Common  Shares
owned by any other director or officer by virtue of such persons acting in their
capacities as such, including in connection with the formulation and publication
of the Board of Directors  recommendation of its position,  and actions taken in
furtherance  thereof,  with respect to an acquisition  proposal  relating to the
Company or a tender or exchange offer for the Common Shares.

EXERCISE OF RIGHTS FOR COMMON STOCK OF ACQUIRING COMPANY
- - --------------------------------------------------------

                  In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other
business  combination  transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated  assets or
earning  power are sold after a person or group has become an Acquiring  Person,
proper  provision  will be made so that each  holder of a Right will  thereafter
have the  right  to  receive,  upon the  exercise  thereof  at the then  current
exercise  price of the  Right,  that  number of  shares  of common  stock of the
acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value
of two times the exercise price of the Right.

<PAGE>


                  With certain  exceptions,  no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative  adjustments require an adjustment of at least
1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional  Preferred Shares will be issued (other
than fractions which are integral  multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share,  which may, at the  election of the Company,  be evidenced by  depository
receipts) and in lieu  thereof,  an adjustment in cash will be made based on the
market price of the  Preferred  Shares on the last trading day prior to the date
of exercise.

REDEMPTION
- - ----------
                  At any time prior to the  acquisition  by a person or group of
affiliated  or  associated  persons  of  beneficial   ownership  of  10%  (which
percentage  may be  reduced  pursuant  to the Rights  Agreement)  or more of the
outstanding  Common  Shares  and up to  the  Distribution  Date,  the  Board  of
Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole,  but not in part,  at a
price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption  Price").  The redemption of the Rights
may be made  effective  at such time on such basis with such  conditions  as the
Board of Directors in its sole  discretion may establish.  Immediately  upon any
redemption  of the Rights,  the right to exercise the Rights will  terminate and
the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

AMENDMENTS
- - ----------
                  The  terms  of the  Rights  may be  amended  by the  Board  of
Directors  of the  Company  without  the  consent of the  holders of the Rights,
including an amendment to (a) lower certain  thresholds  described  above to not
less than the greater of (i) the largest  percentage of the  outstanding  Common
Shares then known to the Company to be beneficially owned by any person or group
of affiliated or associated persons and (ii) 5%, (b) fix a Final Expiration Date
later than May 6, 2007,  (c) reduce the  Redemption  Price or (d)  increase  the
Purchase  Price,  except that from and after such time as any person or group of
affiliated or associated  persons becomes an Acquiring  Person no such amendment
may adversely  affect the interests of the holders of the Rights (other than the
Acquiring Person and its affiliates and associates).

RIGHTS PRIOR TO EXERCISE
- - ------------------------

                  Until a Right is exercised,  the holder thereof, as such, will
have no rights as a stockholder of the Company,  including,  without limitation,
the right to vote or to receive dividends.

DOCUMENTS AND EFFECT OF THIS SUMMARY
- - ------------------------------------

                  A copy  of the  Rights  Agreement  has  been  filed  with  the
Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration  Statement on
Form 8-A dated April 23, 1997. A copy of the Rights  Agreement is available free
of charge from the  Company.  This  summary  description  of the Rights does not
purport to be complete  and is  qualified  in its  entirety by  reference to the
Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.



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