m 



Notices of Books t 



[July 



Our Secretary, Dr. McClelland, has the sole merit of preparing the 

 several able and laborious abstracts which are now submitted ; your 

 Lordship is well aware of the very voluminous nature of the documents 

 and correspondence placed in his hands ; it is therefore quite un^ 

 necessary for us to apologize for the delay that has taken place in 

 their examination, or to expatiate upon the complete and satisfactory 

 manner in which Dr. McClelland has accomplished for us this difficult 

 task in the midst of other, no less important avocations. 



Dr. McClelland has divided his rejport into the following seven heads s 



Section I. General remarks. 



Section 2. On the difference of level in Indian coal fields and the 

 causes to which this may be ascribed. 



The first of these treats of the various benefits conferred on a country 

 Ly the development of its coal and other mineral resources, with re- 

 marks on the difference in respect of soil and produce of different pro- 

 vinces of our British Indian Empire. The second comprehends the 

 geological or scientific branch of the subject, the relation of the several 

 coal deposits to one another, and to those of other parts of the world ; 

 as evidenced by their concomitant rocks and fossil remains. And the 

 author has illustrated his views with interesting sketches of fossil shells 

 and wood, derived from his own researches, made when lately on de- 

 putation to Assam. 



These general views are followed by more particular descriptions of 

 the principal Indian coal fields under the heads of — 



Section 3. The Silhet Coal district, (including the Burmese and 

 Malay line southward.) 



Section 4. The Burdwan and Adjai Coal districts. 



Sections. Po^amoo Coal field ; including also the deposits of 



Bidjegur, Manpoor, Sohagpoor, the Nerbudda beds, Rajmahal and 

 Others known to exist, but not yet brought into use. 



To these should be here added a brief memoir Section 7, on the 

 Assam coal field drawn up by our colleague Captain Henderson ; and, 



Section 8. A table of the analysis of all the specimens of Indian 

 coal, yet collected by our colleague Mr. James Prinsep. Section 6, by 

 ^he Secretary, should be more properly considered a continuation of 

 Section ^ ; being a notice of the general features of Central India 

 with reference to the distribution of minerals, illustrated by a coloured 

 geological Map of India, shewing the distribution of rock formations 

 over the w^hole extent of the Bengal and Agra presidencies and west to 

 Gujerctt, 



