4 THE ALLEGED DESICCATION OF EAST AFRICA 
was a deposit of fine mud particles, so susceptible to the 
slightest movement of the water, caused by inserting the hand, 
or even a reed, that it became turbid and prevented further 
observation. The most remarkable features of the construc- 
tions were the outer rings of mud. These were raised about an 
inch above the water level, and were about four to five inches 
in width, and had more the appearance of being the work of 
man than a fish. The mud did not appear to have been pushed 
up from below, but to have been deposited from above and then 
smoothed down, the surface being firm and shiny. It is, I 
believe, not impossible that the mud was brought to the 
surface in the mouths of the fishes, and then smoothed down 
by their flattened, slimy, eel-like tails. 
Entebbe, May 1914. 
THE ALLEGED DESICCATION OF EAST AFRICA 
By C. W. Hobley, C.M.G. 
This question has been the subject of considerable verbal 
discussion in the country itself, but very little has been written 
on it. The evidence for the alleged desiccation of the globe 
was, however, the subject of a recent learned paper by Prof. 
J. W. Gregory in the Geographical Journal for March 1914, 
and it has occurred to me that it would be useful to record 
the evidence on the subject which has come to my notice in 
British East Africa and other places on the east side of the 
continent. 
Generally speaking, it is believed that very marked evidence 
is available that considerable desiccation of this part of the 
continent has taken place from late Tertiary times down to 
the present day. To commence at the coast, it is undoubtedly 
the fact that the whole of the coast-line from the German 
border to, say, Kismavu shows undoubted signs of elevation 
in recent times. Take Mombasa island, for instance ; one 
there finds the recent coral reefs raised to a height of 70 feet 
