XV. SOAPSTONE FAMILY. This Family contains the following species: Native ® lagnesia, Magnesite, Meerschaum, Bole, Sphragide, Fullers Earth, Steatite, and Figure stone. 1. Native Magnesia. Native Magnesia, Bruce. Bruce on Native Magnesia from New Jersey, American Mine- ralogical Journal, vol. i. p. 26.-30. External Characters. Its colour is snow-white, passing into greenish-white. It occurs massive. Its lustre is pearly. The fracture is foliated, or radiated, fof 1 lS Semi ' trans P areut in t}ie mass > transparent in single^ It is soft, and somewhat elastic. It adheres slightly to the tongue, specific gravity, 2.13. Chemical Characters. Before the blowpipe, it becomes opaque and friable, and loses weight. It is soluble in the sulphuric, nitric, and muriatic acids. Constituent