3,54 On Mineralogical Surveys. 



tion of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, it will be found in 

 great abundance in India.* In regard to North America, 

 we know a little from the excellent reports which have been 

 published by Rogers, Featherstonhaugh, &c. When we 

 draw a contrast however between what has been done, and 

 what remains to be done, the former forms a mere iota to 

 the latter. The whole of Asia, Africa, Australasia, and 

 South America are in a manner unknown. In the last of these 

 continents Humboldt, Pentland, &c.,have done, no doubt, a 

 vast deal, but still it forms but a small part when compared 

 with the vast tracts of country which remain unexplored. 

 The same remark applies to India. From the researches of 

 Turnbull, Christie, Hardie, Adam, Heyne, Calder, Govan, 

 Voysey, Buchanan, Webb, Herbert, Gerrard, Jacquemont, 

 Franklin, Sykes, Malcolmson, McClelland, Hodgson, &c, 

 we have acquired much information. The observations 

 however, of many of these authors are not always to be 

 faithfully relied on, being made in so loose and unsatisfac- 

 tory a manner, colour alone being frequently taken by them 

 as their principal character in distinguishing and classifying 

 rocks. It is now time for Indian geologists to be more 

 cautious in their statements, and allow the stigma, cast out 

 by foreign naturalists to be removed ; viz., that every " red 

 sandstone in India belongs to the new red sandstone,"f 

 or that " geologists in India are self-taught." Many of the 

 topographical accounts lately published are any thing but 

 creditable, as far as geology and mineralogy are concerned ; 

 the observations in general being of no value either in a 

 mineralogical or economical point of view, no method what- 

 ever being adopted. 



* In our conclusion in regard to the occurrence of the Silurian rocks 

 we are correct, having found them occupying large tracts amongst the 

 Himmalya. We shall afterwards give a much more detailed account 

 than we have as yet given. See Journ. As. Soc. 



t Jacquemont's letters, &c. 



