Oe. Aiea 
Notice of Flexible and Elastic Marble. ea 
strongest shells and cannon. Indeed,as we have reason te 
believe that there is no force capable of confining 3 it cer- 
tainly is not unphilosophical to np POS that rocks of a very 
large sige are often moved by it 
remain yours respectfully, 
| CHARLES A, LEE. 
Salisbury, April 6, 1825. 
Art. 1V.—Nolice of the flexible or elastic poking ed Berk- 
shire County ; by Professor C. Dewe 
Some account of this marble was given to the public by 
Dr. Meade, in Bruce’s Mineralogical Journal. A considera- 
notice of some large slabs of it was published a few years 
since by Dr. Mitchill. Till lately it has been ee chiefly 
in West Stockbridge and Lanesborough. It is now found 
in New Ashford in a quarry extensively wrought. I have 
procured three fine specimens of it, in slabs from five to six 
feet in length, and seven inches in width. Its flexibility and 
elasticity may be shown as it stands upon one end, by ap- 
ply ying a moderate force to the middle or the other end. Its 
exibility is seen too by supporting the ends of it in a hori- 
zontal jwowe es upon blocks. 
This marble has various colours—nearly white, with a 
reddish Sipe, gray, and dove-coloured. Some of it has a 
fine grain; other specimens are coarsely granular, and have 
a loose texture. It is not uncommon for one of a 
large block to be flexible, while the other part is destitute of 
this property. It takes a good polish, and appears to be 
carbonate of lime, and not am D nate. 
well known that Dolomieu attributed the flexibility 
of the marble he saheeniee to its exsiceation, and that Belle- 
vue ascertained that unelastic marble might be made elastic 
by exsiccation. a flexible marble of this county, how- 
ever, loses this property in part on becoming dry. When it 
is made pia ies wet by the operation of sawing or of pol- 
ishing, it must be handled with great care to le its 
patie and the eee slabs of it cannot he raised wath 
Vor. 1X.-—No. 2 st 
