30 



Economical Geology. 



spotted and striped appearance, bearing a resemblance to the skins of 

 some serpents. In hardness, it varies very much ; being in some in- 

 stances very hard, and in others as easily wrought as marble. 



This rock exists in Massachusetts in great abundance, particularly 

 in the Alpine part of the State, or in the Hoosac mountain range. 

 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. 

 In the west part of Westfield is found another extensive bed of this 

 rock, extending into Russell, of a much darker color, and containing 

 green talc. This has been used in a few instances for ornamental 

 architecture, and has a rich appearance when wrought. Three beds 

 of serpentine are found in Blandford, 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 talc is considerably large. A large bed occurs 

 in connection with soap-stone, on the north side of Deerfield river, in 

 Zoar, near the turnpike from Greenfield to Williamstown. Speci- 

 mens from this place resemble those from the celebrated localities of 

 this rock at Zobiltz, in Saxony. Serpentine also exists at Windsor 

 in two beds : and there is an immense bed of it in Marlborough, 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., of a dark color and com- 

 pact texture. 



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 

 xleckle very confidently. At New Haven and Milford, Ct., extensive 



