Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 145.djvu/146

130 130 MR. HORNER ON THE ALLUVIAL LAND OF EGYPT. each other, would yield the same proportions in a chemical analysis. It will be observed how very similar they are in composition to the solid matter suspended in the water of the Nile, collected by Dr. ABBOTT, Specimen A. The samples of the alluvial soils penetrated in the excavations, forwarded to me by IJEKEKYAN BEY, are divisible into two classes, each offering several varieties, viz. into blackish brown argillaceous sandy earths, and into sands. As all of them closely resemble in external charactersthe specimens analysed, as above described (A. to M.), it was not deemed necessary for the object of this inquiryto have thesamplesanalysed also; but that it would be sufficient to refer them to the analysed standard speci- mens. They may be thus described Standardspeci- No. Nature of the soil. men it closely resemblesin ex- ternal characters. EARTHS. f A blackish brown, fine-grained indurated earth, not distinguishable F. in external characters from ............................................. { A blackish brown, fine-grained indurated earth, not distinguishable F. from No. I ., except in being a shade lighter in colour............... I A blackish brown, fine-grained indurated earth, identical with No. I., F. except in having interspersed some white calcareous concretions... f CA blackish brown, fine-grained indurated earth, containing the same] IV. white concretions as No. III ., and some small rounded fragments F. of burnt brick. It closely resembles No. I., but is more argilla- _ ceous ....... .... ... .... ... .... ... .... ... .... .. J_ __ .... ... ... ... ... .. A blackish brown earth, the indurated parts of which, when reduced I V. < to powder,are not to be distinguishedfrom B. It containsfrag- B. m ments of brick.............................................................. VI. and Val. f A brown, very friable sandy earth, with mninutescales of mica, closely L. ..__ ___ ___ _ resembling L. .......... _ .... .... .... .... .... ..._ ... .... .... ..._ ... _.. ... VIII. and IX. A brown, fine-grained indurated earth, not to be distinguished from F. No. II..f................................... SANDS. X. Quartzose sand, containing rounded quartz pebbles, and fragments M. of burnt brick, desert sand, closely resembling M .. XI. f Quartzose sand, with a few scales of mica; desert sand. Identical K. with. ....... ................................. XII., XIII, XIV. A brownish white quartzose sand, with some aggregated portions,X L L and fragments of bone and burnt brick. Similar to L. XV. Fine quartzose sand, nearly identical with . .. K. XVI. AA brown argillaceous earth, mixed with quartzose sand, partially H. and B. aggregated, and containing white calcareous concretions. f.. ... Yellowish white, pulverulent, argillo-calcareous sandy earth, knead- XVII. j ing into clay when moistened,partiallyaggregated. It is called I - in Egypt " Fine Potter'sEarth."