8 
Records of the Geological Survey of India. 
[VOL. III. 
part of tlie district, numiuulitic rocks (limestones, &c.,) occur and form an interesting 
study. They may be found to contain petroleum, as they occasionally do elsewhere. 
Publications. The first part of the seventh volume of the Memoirs of the Geological 
Survey of India contains a full report on the area occupied in North-Western India by the 
great series of rocks, to which the name Vindhyan was first given by myself in 1856. 
Stretching along the northern escarpments of the Nerbudda valley, passing across the 
district of Jubbulpur, and forming the whole of the Rewah country north of the Sone, 
this great series extends in a continuous mass far into Bengal, where the picturesque cliffs 
of the Rhotasgurh hills form its steeply scarped limits on the left bank of the Sonc. 
Returning towards the west by Sasseram, Chunar, Mirzapur, and a little south of Alla¬ 
habad, the boundary thence stretches in a great sweeping bay or curve to the south by 
Kir wee, Bijaw ur, and crossing the Beas river, trends again north to Gwalior and Agra, 
and Futtipur Sikri, whence the line again trends to the south and extends to near Neemueh. 
The rocks belonging to this widely extended and important group constitute one of the most 
remarkable and interesting series in all India. They become also still more important to 
the Indian Geologist when he finds representatives of the same great series covering immense 
areas in the Madras Presidency (Kuddapah, Kurnool, &c.), stretching northwards along 
the flanks of the ghats, and up the Godavery country, until in Berar and the adjoining 
parts of the Nizam’s dominions, and again in Bustar and Chutteesgurh, they constitute 
the rocky basis of very extended districts. They are divisible into several different groups 
characterized by peculiar lithological distinctions, and throughout the whole area described 
present a wonderful constancy of mineral composition. Mr. Fred. Mallet, who had himself 
examined much of the area in N. W. India occupied by these rocks, has combined with his 
personal observations the labours of others, and has given a connected history of the entire 
series in this part of the Memoirs. 
I have always found it exceedingly difficult to lead to a just conception of the immensity 
of the areas we have to deal with in this country. And it may be useful to draw a com¬ 
parison here which may tend to a realization of the facts. The small map, which accom¬ 
panies the report of Mr. Mallet, (a reduction from the larger scale maps used in the field) 
just noticed, represents an area quite as large as England and Wales; while all the lines 
of geological division and sub-division shown on it have been actually traced out by 
detailed examination. The previous part of the Memoirs, the last part of Volume Vl, 
contained also a geological map of quite as extended an area, that is, geological maps and 
reports have been published within twelve months, exhibiting the structure of a country 
larger in area than the whole of Great Britain and Ireland. And it should be added of a 
country regarding the structure of which nothing trustworthy was known previously to 
the commencement of the Geological Survey. 
The same part of Volume VII contains also a continuation for 1868 of the annual 
returns of the quantity of Coal raised in India in continuation of similar returns which 
I had already published for the years since 1867. The full details will be seen in the 
tables given. 
There is also, in the same part, a careful description of the very interesting area near 
Cherra Poonji in Eastern Bengal by Mr. Medlicott. As stated in my last report, 
Mr. Medlicott enjoyed tiie advantage of visiting these hills at the only time of year in 
which it w T as possible for any one, without certainty of serious illness, to visit the lower valleys, 
which are deadly in the rainy season. He has thus been able to clear up much that was 
unknown, and the consequence has been a considerable modification of the views originally 
taken of their structure. Mr. Medlicott has also been able to carry out the separation of 
the tertiary and cretaceous rocks, the necessity for which, as established by fossils, was 
indicated by me in 1863, (Quar. Jour. Geol. Soc., Lond. vol. xix, p. 521). His brief memoir 
will prove a valuable basis on which to carry out the detailed examination of the adjoining 
hills. 
Reports on the Kurhurbari coal-field and on the detached and small fields near 
Deoghur in Birbhuni are ready; their issue being only delayed by the time required for 
colouring the geological maps. 
Of the j Palceontologia Indica, a part or fasciculus of which was due in October last, 
I have not issued any part. Several complaints as to the loss and injury sustained in con¬ 
sequence of the issue of this valuable series in small fasciculi having reached me, and desire 
