30 : Geology of Massachusetts. 
The most extensive bed occurs in Middlefield, in the southern part 
of the town. This bed cannot be less than a quarter of a mile in 
breadth and two miles long. The colors of the rock are various, and 
its hardness unequal. If wrought, it might supply the whole world. 
It yields both the precious and common varieties. ‘There is another 
bed in the same town, associated with steatite or soapstone. Jn the 
west part of Westfield is found another extensive bed of this rock, ex-. 
tending into Russell, of a much darker color, and containing green 
talc. This has been used in a few instances for ornamental archi- 
tecture, and has a rich appearance when wrought. ‘Two beds of a 
similar serpentine are found in Blanford, and another in Pelham, 
in the south west part of the town. ‘The color of this last is quite 
dark, and the quantity of the tale is considerably large. A large bed 
occurs in connection with soapstone, on the north side of Deerfield 
river, in Zoar, near the turnpike from Greenfield to Williamstown. 
Specimens from this place resemble those from the celebrated local- — 
ities of this rock at Zoblitz, in Saxony. Serpentine also exists at 
Windsor in two beds; and there is an immense bed of it in Marlbo- 
rough, in the lower part of Vermont, as also in several other towns 
in that vicinity. 
The only locality of this rock in the eastern part of the state, that 
I know of, is in Newbury, two and a half miles south of Newbury- 
port, near the Boston turnpike, at an abandoned lime quarry. The 
precious, or noble serpentine is found here very beautiful, and very 
much resembling that of Cornwall, in England. No serpentine in 
the state will compare in beauty with this ; but perhaps if the other 
beds were explored by blasting, they would put on a different aspect. 
Serpentine also exists at Newport, R.I., but I have not seen it in 
the bed. 
Serpentine and limestone, irregularly mixed, form the noted Verd 
Antique marble. Such a mixture occurs at Becket, according to 
Prof. Dewey, in a bed of gneiss. ‘The limestone is also sometimes 
mingled with the serpentine at Newbury and at Westfield. I cannot 
see why these varieties are not Verd Antique, though I would not 
decide very confidently. At New Haven and Milford, Ct. exten- 
sive quarries of Verd Antique marble have been opened. 
Considering the extent and variety of serpentine in Massachusetts, 
it seems not a little surprising that no efforts, or next to none, have 
been made to use it for ornamental or architectural purposes. In 
Europe, it is employed for trinkets, vases, boxes, chimney pieces, 
