PART I.—TOPOGRAPHY AND STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY.

SECTION I.—CULTIVATED LAND—

Area. Composition and character of alluvial soil. Connection with Nile Valley. Bahr Yusef and canal system. Ravines. Alluvial deposits of Lake Moeris and prehistoric lake. Increase of cultivated lands 11

SECTION II.—THE BIRKET EL QURUN—

Site, depth and dimensions. Remnant of Lake Moeris. Continual shrinkage of lake. Deposition of sand in lake at present day. Salinity of lake. Possible underground outlets. Currents 12

SECTION III.—THE SURROUNDING DESERT REGION—

Area and limits of Libyan Desert described. Rocks forming the area. Importance of dip. Chief causes of origin of Fayûm 14

SECTION IV.—WADI RAYAN AND NEIGHBOURHOOD—

Colonel Western’s survey. Sir William Willcocks’ report. Borings. Details of proposed reservoir. Schweinfurth’s estimate of salt content. Willcocks’ “Assuan Reservoir and Lake Moeris.” Detailed geological examination not yet undertaken. Traverse from Nile Valley through Wadi Muêla and Rayan to Gharaq. Warshat el Melh and springs of Wadi Muêla. Der el Galamûn. Pass from Muêla to Rayan. Sand accumulations. Wadi Korif. Springs of Wadi Rayan. Analyses and output of water. Geological succession in Wadi Rayan. General geology of floor and bounding walls. Ridge separating Rayan and Gharaq. Apparent absence of Nile deposit and freshwater shells in Wadi Rayan. Question of leakage through ridge. Permeability of Rayan if used as a reservoir. Salinity of water 16

SECTION V.—CENTRAL AREA OF THE REGION—

Area and features. Dip-slope of surface. Drainage basins of central plain. Pools formed by rainfall. Tamarisk growth. The eastern area covered by alluvium. The bounding plateau to the north. Ghart el Khanashat dunes 24

SECTION VI.—THE RIDGE SEPARATING THE NILE VALLEY AND FAYUM—

Width and highest points. Strata forming ridge. Gravel terraces. Low points of ridge. Original access of Nile waters to depression. Formation of lake and deposition of sediment in Fayûm 25

SECTION VII.—THE NORTHERN DESERT REGION—

Escarpments and plateaux. Extreme west and south-west limits of area. Ferruginous silicified puddingstone of ancient rivers. Jebel el Qatrani. Widan el Faras. Elwat Hialla. Garat el Gindi. Garat el Faras 26