ME.  HOENEE  ON  THE  AELTJVIAL  LAND  OP  EOTPT. 
61 
sediment,  as  described  in  Part  I.  of  this  Memoir  (page  125),  undertook  at  my  request 
analyses  of  the  surface  layer  (A)  and  of  the  lowest  part  of  the  boring  (B),  which  yielded 
the  following  results : — 
Soluble 
in  hydro-  , 
chloric  ' 
acid. 
Insoluble  f 
in  hydro-  I 
chloric  I 
acid.  ^ 
Moisture  per  cent 
Organic  matter  
Carbonate  of  lime  
Sesquioxide  of  iron 
Sesquioxide  of  alumina  
Magnesia 
Sulphuric  acid  
Phosphoric  acid  
Chlorine  
Potassa  
Soda 
Silica  
Sesquioxide  of  iron 
Sesquioxide  of  alumina  
A. 
B. 
3-24 
3-36 
1-72 
1-60 
10-40 
1-92 
5-20 
7-68 
2-81 
2-46 
0-08 
traces 
0-16 
0-02 
traces 
none 
traces 
none 
0-57 
none 
0-85 
none 
64-55 
74-96 
6-45 
5-83 
3-85 
2-53 
99-88 
100-36 
Per-centage  composition  after 
deducting  moisture. 
A. 
B. 
Silica  
66-80 
77-28 
Sesquioxide  of  iron 
17-05 
13-93 
Sesquioxide  of  alumina  
6-89 
5-14 
Carbonate  of  lime  
10-76 
1-98 
Magnesia 
0-08 
traces 
Potassa 
0-59 
none 
Soda 
0-88 
none 
Sulphuric  acid 
0-17 
0-02 
Phosphoric  acid  
traces 
none 
Chlorine  
traces 
none 
Organic  matter  
1-78 
1-65 
100-00 
100-00 
The  chief  differences  are  in  the  proportions  of  carbonate  of  lime  and  of  silica : the 
former  was  likely  to  predominate  in  the  surface  layer  from  the  admixture  of  particles 
of  limestone,  and  the  silica  in  the  lower  layer  from  the  admixture  of  sand. 
With  the  exceptions  mentioned  above,  not  a trace  of  a shell  was  found  in  these 
excavations  and  borings ; but  I would  not  have  it  inferred  from  this  that  no  remains  of 
MoUusca  exist  in  the  places  excavated.  That  shells,  either  whole  or  in  fragments,  should 
not  have  been  found  far  below  the  surface  is  not  surprising : freshwater  and  land  shells 
are  in  general  fragile,  and  if  left  on  the  ground  by  the  inundation  water,  they  would 
not  only  soon  fall  to  pieces  by  exposure  to  the  air,  but  would  be  destroyed  in  the 
stirring  up  of  the  soil  by  the  husbandman.  In  the  Appendix  * will  be  found  an  account 
of  microscopic  organisms,  not  visible  except  with  the  aid  of  a powerful  instrument  and 
by  a practised  eye,  which  were  found  in  some  of  the  soils. 
Pits  sunk  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Colossal  Statue. 
In  addition  to  the  examination  of  the  soil  by  the  excavation,  shafts  or  pits,  and  borings, 
close  to  the  statue  above  described,  seventeen  pits  were  sunk  within  the  space  that  may 
be  considered  to  be  the  area  of  ancient  Memphis.  Their  relative  situations  will  be  seen 
by  the  following  ground  plan. 
* Note  B.  Appendix,  p.  79. 
MDCCCLVIII. 
K 
