*' Records of the Geological Survey of India. [vol. hi. 
of the line of railway between Jubbulpur and Bombay also rendered it urgently important 
that this should be done at the earliest date. 
Mr. Willson examined in the early part of the year a large portion of the Jhansi 
and Lullutpur districts, tracing out the remarkable quartz reefs that exist in such numbers 
and of such size in that area, and mapping with care the limits also of the recent deposits. 
And he is at present engaged in the continuation of this work, so as to join on his geological 
boundaries with those already very carefully put in by himself in the Saugor and Dumoh 
districts and with those in the Gwalior country mapped by Mr. Hacket. 
The terrible sufferings of the population in Jeyporo and adjoining country from 
failure of their crops, and the consequences of deficiency of food, rendered it desiratle that 
Mr. Hacket should not return for the present season to the work on wdiich he had been 
there engaged. He has, therefore, been moved to Jubbulpur, where he will carry out the 
examination with the detailed maps now available of the south-east portion of the district, 
and connect it with Rewah to the north and east. In the beginning of the year Mr. Hacket 
traced out the boundary of the great Deccan trap area, from Neemuch across to the Beeas 
river, which line has since been embodied in the general map of the Vindhyan area accom¬ 
panying the published report of Mr. F. Mallet. 
Mr. Ball, in the early paid of the year, carried out the examination of parts of the 
Singhbhum country, tracing out carefully the copper-bearing rocks and their limits. And 
since Mr. Ormsby's return in the autumn, Mr. Ball and Mr. Ormsby have both been sent 
to revise and bring up to the existing state of knowledge of Indian Geology the maps of 
Bhagulpur and Birbhum previous to final publication. These districts were among those 
earliest examined in this country. And since that time very considerable progress has been 
made in the distinguishing of the rock groups of India. The original examination of these 
districts had also been more than once necessarily interrupted by disturbances among the 
Sonthals and other causes, and it was therefore essential that they should be gone over again 
noth a view to general revision. 
Mr. Mallet, during the early portion of the year, was engaged in working out in detail, 
and with the advantage of new and better maps, the relations of the several groups of rocks 
which occur in the eastern portion of the Sone valley, and which there come between the 
Vindhyan formation and the gneissose rocks. The more important of his results have 
been embodied in the Report on the Vindhyan formation, published during the year, which 
is noticed further on. Mr. Mallet, as already mentioned, has obtained leave for one year, and 
left India in September. 
Mr. W. Blanford rejoined the Geological Survey on his return from deputation as 
Naturalist and Geologist in connection with the Abyssinian Field Force at the beginning of 
November. He has taken up the careful examination of the Chanda district with the 
assistance of Mr. Hughes and Mr. Fcdden. Of this district he hud himself made a rapid 
reconnoissance in 1866 and furnished a sketch geological map, which, considering the very 
unfavorable nature of the country for any geological examination and the brief visit 
Mr. Blanford paid to the district, was marvellously accurate and good. Mr. Blanford then 
also was the first to realize the true nature of the coal deposits of the field, which had been 
searched out with untiring determination by Major Lucie-Smith, the Deputy Commissioner. 
The occurrence of these coals in this district in a geographical position singularly favorable 
for the supply of fuel to a very large area both to the west and south, and the considerable diffi¬ 
culties attending the investigation, rendered it highly important that the facts should be ascer¬ 
tained as quickly as possible. 1 have therefore moved up from Bengal Mr. Theod. Hughes, 
who has perhaps had more experience and detailed knowledge of the Indian coal-bearing rocks 
than any one on the Survey, and with Mr. Feddcnhe will act under Mr. Blanford, Deputy- 
Superintendent. The work was allotted without delay. Mr. Blanford himself in addition to 
the general supervision of all, has taken up the detailed investigation of tho rocks which come 
below the coal measure series. Mr. Fcdden has been sent to those above the same series, while 
Mr. Hughes will take up these coal-rocks themselves. The district is most unfavorable for 
detailed geological examination, being either more than usually covered with very thick deposits 
of clays aud gravels (often cemented into a hard calcareous conglomerate), occasionally 
containing bones or fragments of bones of large animals, and all probably of the same general 
age as the similar conglomerates ol the Nerbudda and God a v c ry valleys, (Pliocene), or 
