Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 145.djvu/152

136 MR. HORNER ON THE ALLUVIAL LAND OF EGYPT. by the Arabs the Bahr-il -Moussa, or River of Moses. A vertical section of the soils sunk through exhibits the following varieties: Speci- Feet. Inches. men. 1. 3 6 Surface layer. A blackish brown earth, scarcely distinguishable from the sample No. III. 2. 3 91 A grey sandy earth, very similar to layer No. 2 . in Excavation B, and containing fragments of limestone and brick. In this layer was found a milk tooth (lower molar) of an ox, which had been worn down and shed. 3. ... 10 A brown sandy earth, identical with layer No. 2 . in Excavation E. 4. 2 21 Quartzose sand; the quartz nearly transparent, with rolled fragments of opake quartz and chert. 10 4 jLevel of the filtration water. EXCAVATIONG.- 1 2 15 yards north-east of the obelisk. This excavation was made in the celebrated melon grounds of Heliopolis, which lie on the Bahr-il -Moussa. A vertical section of the soils sunk through exhibits the following varieties:- 1. 2 6 A brown sandy earth, very similar to layer No. 4 . in the Excavation E, and the layer No. 3 . in the Excavation F, and containing fragments of limestone. 2. 4 2 A brown sandy earth, very similar to layer No. 2 . in the Excavation E, with nume- rous angular fragments of brick and pottery. The upper molar of an ox was found in this layer. 3. 8 4 Quartzose sand, undistinguishable from layer No. 4 . in Excavation F. 1ei . . Level of the filtration water. 4. ... The quartzose sand continued below the water. EXCAVATIONH.- 615 yards east of the obelisk. This excavationwas made in a line between the obelisk and a line of moundswhich probably led to the necropolis of the city, which occupies a wide space of ground on the elevated skirts of the desert, due east of the obelisk. A vertical section of the soils sunk through exhibits the following varieties 1. 2 10 Surface layer. A blackish brown earth, similar to layer No. 1 . in Excavation F, with fragments of brick. 2. 3 8 Chiefly quartzose sand, with numerous rounded fragments of quartz and chert, and a partial mixture of the brown earth of the Nile sediment. 3. 8 ... Quartzose sand, identical with layer No. 4 . in Excavation F, and with layer No. 3. in Excavation G. 14 6 Level of the filtration water. X4. ... ... The same sand continued below the water.