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V. 



SKETCH OF THE WORK OF THE GEOLOGI- 

 CAL SURVEY IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 



It is proposed to give in the following pages a brief sketch 

 of the work done by the members of the Geological Survey in 

 Southern India and to draw attention to the more important 

 points of interest, whether practical or purely scientific, con- 

 cerning the several geological formations met with. It is 

 desirable that this should be done, as a good deal of mis- 

 apprehension and positive ignorance exists with regard to 

 both the nature and extent of the work accomplished. This is 

 perhaps not much to be wondered at, seeing how very little 

 geological science is cultivated in Southern India. The great 

 interest excited by the gold-mining speculations set on foot 

 within the last few years would, it might have been expected, 

 have drawn general attention to the numerous publications 

 of the geological surveyors treating on many parts of the 

 Madras Presidency and adjoining districts of the Nizam's State 

 and the southern collectorates of the Bombay Presidency ; 

 but it has only done so very partially. 



Geological surveys have been established in every country 

 with a civilized Government for the collection of reliable data 

 as to the real mineral status of the country for the informa- 

 tion of the Government and the general public. Most of 

 these data are best represented in maps giving the ground 

 plan of the various formations exposed, which are distin- 

 guished by different colors. With the addition of a few con- 

 ventional symbols such a geological map shows at a glance 

 facts which it may have required months or years of laborious 



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