390 NaUn^al History in Foreign Countries, 



Geology. — Mr. Bird has just published an interesting paper on the geo- 

 logy of Palestine. The Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem, is composed of 

 soft limestone, as are also Mounts Carmel and Tabor. On the borders of 

 the Dead Sea, the rocks are tinged strongly with the red oxide of iron ; 

 but the most singular and unexpected fact is, that here are no volcanic 

 rocks, at least on the western shore. Mount Ferdeas, or Bethulia, four or 

 five miles from Bethlehem, is not volcanic, as has been asserted. Most of 

 the elevated summits of Lebanon to the east of Beyruth, are composed of 

 rocks containing shells and vegetable remains. {Aynerican Journal.) 



AFRICA. 



Grain and Bread found in an Egyptian Tomb. — M. Passalacqua having 

 found a quantity of grain in an Egyptian tomb, it has been carefully ex- 

 amined by MM. Julia Fontenelle, Le Baillif, and Kunth, who have deter- 

 mined it to be common wheat (TViticum sativum). M. Raspail, however, 

 differs from those naturalists, and, by more minute examination, has satisfied 

 himself that it is barley, which has been subjected to a considerable degree 

 of heat ; and, on torrefying some fresh barley, it assumed the same appear- 

 ance with the Egyptian grain. Along with the grain was found some bread, 

 apparently unleavened. M. Raspail supposed the tomb to be that of a high 

 priest, and refers to Leviticus ii. 14, 15., in which it is ordered to offer 

 *' green ears of corn, dried by the fire, even corn beat out of the full ear." 

 Some Egyptian grain in the museum of Charles X., however, is certainly 

 wheat, with some grains of torrefied barley mixed with it. Specimens of 

 bread, in this museum, are similar to that found by M. Passalacqua. {Bul- 

 letin des Sciences.) 



NORTH AMERICA. 



Scenery on the River Demerara. — After passing the third island, the 

 plantations are separated by large tracts of wood ; and farther on, past 

 Amelias Waard, an unbroken range of forest covers each bank of the river. 

 Sometimes the ground is level ; at other times, hilly, or with rocks " of an 

 almost perpendicular height " jutting into the water. The trees display 

 every variety of shade ; the tops of some of them are crowned with bloom, 

 of the loveliest hue, while the boughs of others bend with a profusion of 

 seeds and fruits. " There are patches of soil up and down, and the huge 

 stones amongst them produce a pleasing and novel effect.'* In a country, 

 with the most favourable climate for vegetation, and with the richest soil, 

 the trees grow very tall, but not of very large diameter. The trunks of 

 but few are 6 yards in circumference. " If larger have ever existed, they 

 have fall.en a sacrifice, either to the axe or to fire [or to the rich soil and 

 rapid climate]. Four-footed animals are comparatively scarce. The pec- 

 cari in herds of 500 or 400, the red monkey, polecat, fox, jaguar, small 

 and large ant-bear, and sloth are the principal. The birds and snakes are 

 most numerous, and unrivalled in beauty, the birds of Cayenne excepted. 

 There are many sorts of fish, and myriads of insects, beautiful past descrip- 

 tion in their variety of tints, astonishing in their form and size, and many of 

 them noxious in their qualities. He whose eye can distinguish the various 

 beauties of uncultivated nature, and whose ear is not shut to the wild 

 sounds in the woods, will be delighted in passing up the river Demerara. 

 Every now and then, the raaam, or tinamou, sends forth one long and plain- 

 tive whistle from the depths of the forest, and then stops ; whilst the yelp- 

 ing of the toucan, and the shrill voice of the bird called pi-pi-yo, are heard 

 during the interval. The campanero never fails to attract the attention of 

 the passenger ; at a distance of nearly three miles, you may hear this snow- 

 white bird tolling every four or five minutes, like the distant convent-bell. 

 From six to nine in the morning, the forests resound with the mingled cries 

 and strains of the feathered race j after this, they gradually die away. From 



