Birds from Tripoli. 647 
was reached, and on the 19th the more important town of 
Sebka, both in the Province of Fezzan. Not far from the 
latter place a wonderful petrified forest was traversed_, its area 
covering many miles, so many indeed that it took the caravan 
ten hours of continuous travelling to cross it. The petrified 
trees, which varied in circumference from seven feet to a few 
inches, were all lying prone on the ground. A similar 
forest^ although on a much smaller scale, exists near Cairo, 
and apparently Dr. Sven Hedin met with another in his 
recent journey through Central Asia. As in some other 
Saharan regions, marine shells were found here^ pointing 
to the fact of a submarine existence at some remote period. 
On the 25th of May, or three weeks after leaving Sokna, 
the expedition arrived at Mursuk, the capital of Fezzan, and 
the seat of government of that Province. Mursuk is a 
large and important town, with its oasis, situated some 
300 miles south of Sokna, and about 650 miles south-east of 
Tripoli. 
Here, owing to the Vali of Tripoli having omitted to 
advise the Mutarharif, or Governor of Mursuk, of the probable 
arrival of an European expedition travelling under the aegis 
of the Sultana's Irade, the whole party was placed under 
arrest, and the Turkish escort imprisoned. Fortunately, 
however, it was possible to clear up the matter to the 
satisfaction of the local authorities, and the travellers were 
immediately released. 
After a few days spent at Mursuk, the expedition, having 
attained its southermost limit, retraced its steps as far 
as Sokna, following, more or less, the same route as on its 
outward journey. From Sokna, in order to carry out the 
projected itinerary, Mr. Dodson decided to travel in a north- 
easterly direction as far as the Gulf of Syrtis, and then, 
skirting along the coast, to enter Cyrenaica, and follow the 
bend of the coast-line up to Benghazi. 
The districts traversed by the Expedition between Sokna 
and the coast had hitherto been practically unexplored by 
liluropeans, and Mr. Dodson was able to map out a con- 
siderable tract of country and to correct certain glaring errors 
