RECORDS 
OF THE 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA. 
Part 1.] 1872. [February. 
Annual Repoet of the Geological Survey of India, and of the Geological 
Museum, Calcutta, foe the year 1871. 
The close of the year calls for the usual annual summary of proceedings of the Geo¬ 
logical Survey. 
As regards the staff available during the twelve-months from the 1st of January to the 
31st December 1871, we have been rather more fortunate during the past year than on other 
occasions. During a portion of that time, all the members of the Survey establishment 
were at work at the same time—a rare occurrence. Shortly after the year opened, Mr. Jos. 
W. Alexander was appointed an assistant in the room of Mr. Ormsby, whose death it was 
my duty to report in 1870. Mr. Alexander was engaged in office work for some months, and 
gave high promise of efficiency. After a few months, he was, however, nominated by the 
Hon’ble the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal to the charge of the Maharajah of Durbungah 
and of his brother (minors). His place was fortunately supplied without much delay by 
the appointment of Mr. James Willson, A. B., whose university course had been marked 
by the highest honours, and who had for some time been engaged successfully as Professor 
of Mathematics in this country. He had given special attention to the study of Physics, 
Geology and Mineralogy, and had obtained honors in these subjects at his final examination 
in Trinity College, Dublin. He has been actively engaged since his nomination in October. 
These repeated changes, as frequently noticed, give rise to delay, complications and 
difficulties, which very seriously impede the progress of the survey. It has been recom¬ 
mended as the best means of preventing, so far as practicable, this injurious result, that 
two or three supernumerary assistants should be appointed who would become absorbed into 
the general staff as vacancies occurred, and who would meanwhile have acquired a 
sufficient intimacy with local geology, and with the modes of enquiry to enable them to be 
at once effective and useful. The working staff would thus be maintained at its proper 
strength aud an equable progress would be secured. At present, every new assist¬ 
ant is comparatively useless for oue whole working season, until he has become acquainted 
with what has been done, and can thus take his place with the others in extending this 
knowledge. 
Mr. Medli-cott, who, as stated in last report, had commenced the detailed examination 
of the country near Mohpani coal-field, and the Puchmurri hills, on the south of the 
Nerbudda valley, using for the purpose of recording his observations the maps of the Topo¬ 
graphical Survey, just issued, was enabled to get over a considerable area. As noted on a 
