362 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1886. 



from the Latin Scrpentinns^ a serpent, owing to its color and spotted 

 appearance. Several varieties are recognized, the general name Vcr- 

 dantique marble being often applied indiscriminately to all, though the 

 name (Verde Antico) was originally applied only to the various veined 

 and brecciated serpentiuous rocks, used by the Koraans, and obtained 

 from Italy, Greece, and Egypt. Ophite (from the Greek ^^jtijc, like a 

 serpent) is the name also often given to those varieties consisting of an 

 intimate mixture of serpentine and calcite or dolomite. These rocks 

 are also called ophiolite and ophicalcite by various writers. 



Precious serpentine is the pure translucent massive varitey of a rich 

 oil green color. Chrysotile and amianthus are the names applied to 

 the fibrous silky variety, such as that from Canada, which is mined and 

 utilized as asbestus. 



Owing to its softness, which is such that it can be readily carved or 

 turned on a lathe and its beautiful colors when polished, serjientine has 

 long been a favorite with all civilized nations for ornaments and inte- 

 rior decorative work. The rock, however, occurs almost universally in 

 a badly jointed condition, so that blocks of small size only can be ob- 

 tained, or if large, they are liable to break under pressure or even in 

 l)rocess of dressing. (See illustration, Plate VI.) In the great majority 

 of cases, moreover, the stone is unsuited for polished work that is to be 

 exposed to the weather, since it shortly loses its gloss, wears unevenly, 

 and becomes as unsightly as it was once beautiful. The Lizard (Eng- 

 land) serpentine can be obtained, it is stated, in blocks 7 to 8 feet in 

 length and irom 2 to 3 feet in diameter, and it is being now much used 

 in churches for ornamental fonts, pulpits, and small shafts and pilasters, 

 as well as for vases and inlaid work.* According to Delesset this 

 stone takes a beautiful and lasting polish, as shown by certain tomb- 

 stones in Westminster Abbey which were erected in 1710. The cele- 

 brated Verdi di Prato, from near Florence, Italy, although equally 

 beautiful, however, is subject to rapid decay, and is hence entirely un- 

 suited for exterior work. Serpentine for ornamental work is at the 

 present time scarcely at all quarried in th§ Unitoil States, although in- 

 exhaustible quantities are found in many instances and of exception- 

 ally fine quality'. The following are the principal localities in the 

 United States, nearly all of which are represented in some form in the 

 national collection. 



{2) SERrENTINES OF THE VARIOUS STATES AND TERRITORIES. 



California. — Inexhaustible quantities of serpentine of a deep green 

 or yellowish color occur in the region round about San Francisco, and 

 often in such situations as to be easily available, as at the head of 

 Market street. So far as observed none of the material is of such a 

 quality as to render it of value for ornamental work, while its gloomy 



'Hull, Buildiuj; and Ornamental Stones, p. 102. 

 t Materiaux de Construction, p. 75. 



