12 lieconJtt uf the Geoloyical Survey of India. [vol. xii. 
extensive injiiiy to cultivation to be apprclienclcd from reb in connexion witli 
canal irrigation ill the excessive climate of North-Westeim India. My notes on 
the subject were submitted to the Committee, and published in its report. 
I took the opportunity while in the neighbourhood to investigate two 
recent case.s of supposed discovery of coal: one in the Siwaliks of Dehra, 
reported by the Railway Department, and one in the same rocks of Nahan, to which 
my attention had been called by the Punjab Government. From my pretty 
accurate acquaintance with this gi-ound, I was fully .satisfied that the reports were 
fallacious; but in regard to the importance of the subject, and to the general 
want of confidence in independent geological judgment, I visited both localities. 
The result was what I expected: it would have been impossible to extract one 
hundred-weight of coal from all that was left of the supposed “ seams.” The 
repeated revival of these oft exploded discoveries is one of the chronic evils of 
the perpetual change of staff in every office throughout India. 
Publications. —Two principal Memoirs, expected to bo issued vdthin the year, 
have been unavoidably kept back. As explained in last year’s report, the letter 
press and plates of Mr. Wynne’s report on the Salt Range, forming Vol. XIV of 
the Memoirs, were then ready for issue, waiting for the colour'-printing of the 
map. This has not yet been received. Fully coloured proofs have recently been 
passed for press, and the issue of the report cannot now be much delayed. The 
postponement of Mr. Blanford’s Memoir on Sind has been already explained. 
Mr. Foote’s Memoir on the Nellore District is in hand for publication. Thus 
the only number of the Memoirs actually issued during the year was Part 1 
of Vol. XV, containing Mr. Ball’s report (with three maps) on the Palamow 
coal-fields, of which a notice has already been given. By orders of Government, 
the price of these volumes has been considerably reduced. 
The Recokds for 1878 are, by way of compensation, much more full of 
matter than usual, extending to three times the size originally contemplated, 
and containing numerous outline-maps. 
Of the pALaiONTOLOGiA Indica two large parts were issued during the year : 
one by Dr. Feistmantel on the flora of the Jabalpur group, containing 14 jjlates, 
and one by Mr. Lydekker on the crania of fossil Ruminants, containing 18 plates. 
Two other parts by the same authors are now in the press. A revision of the 
somewhat confused classification of these publications has been made, for pub¬ 
lication on the covers, from this date. The price has also been reduced. 
Museimi. —So far as compatible with other cun’ent work, good progress has 
been made in the arrangement and labelling of the collections in the new 
cases by Dr. Feistmantel and Mr. Lydekker in the palieontological galleries, and 
by Mr. Mallet in the mineral gallery. The frequent calls on Mr. Mallet for 
occasional assays and analyses, form a serious but unavoidable interruption to 
the systematic examination he is making of the mineral products of India, so far 
as represented in our collections. 
Library .—During the past year 960 volumes, or parts of volumes, have 
been added to the library : 462 by purchase, and 488 by presentation or in 
