Localities of Serpentine. 367 



chlorite slate, a few rods east of the serpentine, dips east about 70 or 

 80. Not only is this serpentine stratified, but I observed here, as 

 well as in the same rock in the west part of Chester, a structure 

 which might properly be called schistose ; especially where the rock 

 had been weathered. The slaty laminae, however, are rather thick 

 and irregular, nor do they extend through the whole bed. 



The other serpentine locality in Windsor, is in the northwest part 

 of the town, on land of Samuel Chapman. It occurs at the surface 

 only in large bowlders ; though I cannot doubt but it exists in place 

 beneath the diluvium. The rock surrounding it is gneiss alternating 

 with mica slate. The serpentine resembles that in Zoar, and like 

 that passes into steatite so insensibly, that the eye cannot distinguish 

 between the tw.o minerals ; and specimens may be found of every 

 intermediate degree of hardness. But the serpentine greatly pre- 

 dominates. 



The situation of the serpentine in Zoar, is similar to that of the 

 first bed in Winsdor, just described. It occurs on the north side of 

 Deerfield river : and the lateral edges of the strata are here laid bare. 

 They consist of talcose and mica slate, with green and white steatite 

 interstratified, the strata being not far from perpendicular. As nearly 

 as I could ascertain, there are several beds of the serpentine at this 

 place : though the numerous fragments of the rocks that are broken 

 and mixed along these cliffs, render it difficult to determine all the 

 alternations. It may be of consequence to remark, that in one in- 

 stance at least, I noticed the serpentine lying next to the steatite. 

 The serpentine at this locality is the common variety, and uniform in 

 its color ; but of a lively green. In some instances there is a mix- 

 ture of the serpentine with the steatite. 



In Marlborough, Vt. a little north of the limits of the map, is a 

 very extensive bed of serpentine ; some parts of which, at least, are 

 distinctly stratified. In the west part of New Fane is another bed, 

 in which I do not recollect any marks of stratification ; though it is 

 several years since I visited the spot. Other large beds occur farther 

 north, in Vermont, as at Grafton and Windham, and they are found 

 in a continuation of the same talcose and mica slate range in which 

 they exist in Massachusetts. 



The most northern bed of serpentine in Middlefield is connected 

 with the bed of steatite in that place already described. The bed in 

 the south part of the town is the largest in Massachusetts ; being from 

 four to six miles long, and perhaps 80 or 100 rods wide. It extends 



