The =name “Egypt,”= which has come to us through the Latin “Aegyptus” and the Greek “Aiguptos,” is derived from one of the ancient Egyptian names of Memphis, viz., “Ḥet-ka-Ptaḥ,” meaning “Temple of the Ka, or Double, of Ptaḥ” 𓉗𓏏𓐰𓉐𓂓𓐰𓏤𓊪𓐰𓏏𓎛𓀭 or 𓉘𓐼𓂓𓐰𓏤𓊪𓐰𓏏𓎛𓀭𓐽𓉜. The common name for Egypt among the Egyptians was “Qem,” or “Qemt,” _i.e._, the “Black Land,” 𓆎𓏏𓐰𓊖, in allusion to the brownish-black mud of which the soil chiefly consists. Another name of frequent occurrence in the literature is “Ta-Merȧ,” the “Land of the Inundation,” 𓇾𓐰𓏤𓐱𓈇𓌻𓇋𓆳𓊖. The =soil= of Egypt is formed of a layer of sedimentary deposits, which has been laid down by the Nile, and varies in depth from about 40 to 110 feet; the rate at which this layer is being added to at the present time in the bed of the river is said to be about =four inches in a century=. In prehistoric times the sea ran up as far as Esna, and deposited thick layers of sand and gravel; upon these the rivers and streams flowing from the south spread the mud and stony matter which they brought down with them, and thus the soil of Egypt was gradually built up. Near Esna begins the layer of sandstone, which extends southward, and covers nearly the whole of Nubia, and rests ultimately on crystalline rock. [Illustration: The Delta of Egypt.] The part of Egypt which lies to the north of the point where the Nile divides itself into two branches resembles in shape a lotus flower, or a triangle standing on its apex, and because of its similarity to the fourth letter of their alphabet, the Greeks called it =Delta=, Δ. The Delta is formed of a deep layer of mud and sand, which rests upon the yellow quartz sands, and gravels and stiff clay, which were laid down by the sea in prehistoric times. The area of the Delta is about 14,500 square miles. The =Oases= of Egypt are seven in number, and all are situated in the Western Desert. Their names are: 1. Oasis of =Sîwah= or =Jupiter Ammon=; 2. Oasis of =Baḥarîyah=, _i.e._, the Northern Oasis; 3. The Oasis of =Farâfrah=, the Ta-ȧḥet of the Egyptians; 4. The Oasis of =Dâkhlah=, _i.e._, the “Inner” Oasis, the =Tchesti= of the Egyptians; 5. The Oasis of =Khârgah=, _i.e._, the “Outer Oasis,” the Uaḥt-rest or “Southern Oasis” of the Egyptians; 6. The Oasis of =Dailah=, to the west of Farâfrah; 7. The Oasis of =Kûrkûr=, to the west of Aswân.