[ 414 J 
XI. Letters from fome of the Men of Scierice engaged in ibe 
French Expedition to Egypt. 
LETTER T: 
Cairo, Thermidor 25th, An. VI. 
OP pe Commiffion of the Sciendes remained a month at 
Rofetta, until Egypt was entirely fubdued. I am bufily em- 
ployed at prefent in the department to which I belong. I 
have had the good fortune to be encouraged and proteéted 
by General Menou, who commanded in the province of Ro- 
fetta. He gave mean efcort, to enable me to penetrate the 
Delta, and to hunt for animals. I have found a number of 
- very interefting birds. To obferve them alive, defcribe them 
zoologically and anatomically ; to prepare ftuffed fkins and 
fkeletons, have been my occupation in the moft agreeable 
country of Egypt. I have made many new obfervations, 
which I intend to write down for the Inftitute of Cairo. 
The botanifts are very unfortunate in regard to their fei- 
ence. Egypt has fcarcely furnifhed them with twenty difs 
ferent fpecies; and, befides, they have loft all the paper 
which they brought with them. The cafe has been the 
fame with my fpirit of wine and powder for ftuffiing birds. 
Thefe articles were on board the Patriofe, which was loft in 
the harbour of Alexandria. This veffel had on board alfo 
the effects of the aéronauts. 
The moft aftonifhing tree here is the fycamore-fig. One 
of thefe trees is fufficient to fhade feyeral of the peafants’ 
huts, with the oxen that raife water to water the meadows 
by means of wheels, 
LETTER. I. 
Alexandria, Thermidor 2sth. 
THE naturalifts. are, all employed each in -his,ownde-~ 
partment. The mineralogifts have not found any: thing of 
importance. They have been occupied only in examining 
the 
