204 
PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH. VII. 
changes of condition of which the various marine 
and fresh-water strata of the Pliocene and Post- 
Pliocene periods in Britain and Europe are results. 
In that part of the Lybian Desert remarkable for 
the quantity of silicified wood and tree trunks 
superficially distributed, there is evidence of vol- 
canic action, probably submarine. But in the 
main the origin of the dry land resulting in 
fertile Egypt seems to be due to slow elevation 
and annual alluviums, which for long ages were 
spread out beneath estuary seas, but finally adding 
to and superficially forming upraised dry land. 
‘ Of fertile and habitable land Egypt is the most 
recent or last formed, and it is that which yields 
the most ancient evidences of social and civilised 
man. Of these marvellous evidences — marvellous 
for their magnitude, number, and variety—I shall 
only say that they transcend all previous concep- 
tion. With regard to the Egyptian fauna, hoW 
interesting was it to the naturalists to witness, as 
they steamed along, so many kinds of birds, 
previously studied as stuffed specimens in our 
cabinets or as captives in our Zoological Gardens ! 
to witness and compare the flight of flocks of 
flamingoes, spoonbills, pelicans, the varied forms 
of waders, the graceful undulatory course of the 
crested hoopoes, the darting of the kingfishers, 
the manceuvres of the birds of prey, from the 
vultures and eagles to the kites and sparrowhawks ! 
Of the rarest of all these Egyptian birds, I had 
