Trof. J. W. Daioson — Notes on the Geology of Egypt. 389 



firm and regular. On tlie Lybian side they are more disturbed, 

 and probably somewhat thrown down and fractured. This is well 

 seen at Cairo and Gizeh on the opposite sides of the river. At 

 the former place the beds seem undisturbed. At the latter they 



Fig. 2. — Lower Eocene Limestone and Softer Beds near Thebes. 



are much shifted by faults, so that in places the newer members 

 of the series are brought down to the level of the middle portions. 

 To the north, where the crystalline rocks terminate, the east and 

 west fractures become more pronounced. A very important one 

 seems to pass through the VVady Dugla, behind the Mokattam Hill, 

 extending thence eastward toward the Red Sea. The north and 

 south fractures have no doubt exercised an important influence 

 in determining the position of the river valley, and their compai'ative 

 absence on the eastern side has tended to give greater continuity 

 and elevation to the cliffs on that side as far up as Thebes. 



Clays, believed to belong to the lower part of the Eocene, appear 

 beneath the limestones at Thebes, and between El Kab and Silsilis 

 there are clays, marls, limestones and sandstones, which are said 

 to contain Cretaceous fossils, and these rest on the Nubian sandstone 

 to be noticed in the sequel. In the soft beds near Edfou, which 



Fig. 3. — Cretaceous Sandstone and Marl above Silsilis. 



are probably Cretaceous, and above the Nubian sandstone, borings 

 made for coal have ascertained the existence in clays and sandy 



