These gravel terraces contain numerous stone implements of early (pre-Chellean) types, showing that at this time Egypt had sufficient rainfall of its own to support human life. The moist westerly winds carried the climate of the Mediterranean coast far into the desert. For instance, in the oasis of Khargeh, in latitude 25°, grew the evergreen oak and other plants not now found south of Corsica and southern France. The Mindelian Pluvial period was followed by a long dry period corresponding to the Chellean, when desert conditions supervened. The Nile as we know it first appeared during this period. Terraces were formed on the sides of the valley, probably during the submergence which produced the _Strombus_ beaches of the western Mediterranean; these contain Chellean implements. During the succeeding elevation the Nile cut its bed below the present level. The Rissian glaciation of northern Europe is represented in Egypt by a second rainy period, the Lesser Pluvial period. Rain again fell on the Red Sea hills, forming a newer set of gravel terraces, but these are much smaller than the great Mindelian terraces. No terraces are known representing the Wurmian period, and the country does not seem to have been inhabited at this time. Probably the climate was semi-desert, with not enough rainfall of its own to support human life, and yet without the fertilizing Nile floods to enable human life to exist without rainfall. As has been said, the present regime did not begin until the last glaciation was nearly over, about 12,000 B.C. BIBLIOGRAPHY Gignoux, M. “Les formations marines pliocènes et quaternaires de l’Italie du Sud et de la Sicilie.” _Ann. l’Univ. Lyon_, n.a., Vol. 1, fasc. 36, Paris, 1911, pp. 693. Depéret, C. “Les anciennes lignes de rivage de la côte française de la Mediterranée.” _Bull. Soc. Geol. de France_, ser. 4, Vol. 6, pp. 207-30. Douvillé, R. “Espagne,” _Handbuch regional Geol., H. 7_, 1911. (Includes Gibraltar and Balearic Is.) Hume, W. F., and Craig, J. I. “The Glacial period and climatic change in North-east Africa.” _Rep. Brit. Assoc._, 1911, p. 382. CHAPTER VII ASIA DURING THE GLACIAL PERIOD The great area of Asia is at present but little explored for glacial traces, but a certain amount of evidence has been collected, and the data from the various mountain districts are consistent enough to map out the general trend of the history of the continent during the Ice Age.