Work continues in the quarries, but the men also search for fossils by prospecting (canvassing the desert surface by foot and eye), trenching (digging a narrow and deep test cut into the center of a possibly fossiliferous area) and "sandlensing". Sandlensing was Markgraf's technique of breaking and brushing away the crusted surface (hardened sand and pebbles) of a section to let wind erode the loose sand beneath. A small depression eventually formed to reveal whether a fossil lay beneath. Today's Faiyum fossil collectors employ Markgraf's sandlensing technique on a much broader (eg., a football or soccer field-sized) scale.

It is now past mid-March. Granger and Olsen were to sail home aboard the S.S.Celtic (White Star Lines) on March 20th, but Granger has decided to remain in the Faiyum for another month. Granger takes an excursion on the 20th and thereafter begins to note the seasonal changes in his desert environment. A sampling of these entries follows:

Tues. Mar. 26:
Still splendid weather with nights cool but getting warmer.

Spring seems to be on here now. Several new plants have sprung up in favorable wadies and there are more birds moving about. Saw storks flying northward to Europe today.

It is surprising what a variety of life one can find here upon careful search and it seems remarkable that any thing can live. Lizards are fairly common; we have seen two or three snakes. There is a species of quail seen occasionally and one of them came into our tent during a windstorm one day.-- two or three species of Raptores [Raptors] and several small Passeres [Passeriformes] complete the list of birds. Antelope of at least two species leave tracks in the wadies every morning. There are a few beetles and millions of house flies.

Saw Daoud's Arsinoithere skull today -- is the backstop [in display quality] and worth saving.

Fri. Mar. 29:
Busy pasting bones all day. Olsen in Quarry B east. Quft men in Quarry A.

Weather splendid, beginning to be comfortable at night without an overcoat. More storks today.

Mon. Apr. 1:
Olsen began prospecting today for the first time and celebrated by finding a very beautiful skull of Apterodon in the wady 1/2 mile below camp.

In Quarry A. Hassan & Massaout uncovered several good bones -- including a fine palate of Palaeomastodon.

Markgraf left this morning for Sinnouris, and will go on to Cairo.

We have decided to send all but two of Quibell's men back to Quft on Friday. Olsen will keep Machmud and I Ibrahim Mohammed as personal assistants -- they are the most capable men of that outfit.

Camels in tonight.

Today is our first hot day -- much too warm for comfort in the middle of the day and not cold tonight.

Camels returned to Tamia and Talba is to have others here tomorrow night.

Prozeuglodon atrox (by J.Lavas after C.Andrews).

Fri. Apr. 5:
Cooler today -- sky overcast. Daoud found fine large Crocodilus skull today -- near the creodont skulls; has lower jaws which is the first association of parts we have seen except a string of four small vertebrae in Quarry B.

The Quft men left at midnight. Talba travels at night now -- when he can to avoid the heat of the day. Discharged two camels last night. Six will suffice from now on.

Unlit candle...?

Sun. Apr. 7:
Fine day -- cool north breeze. Last night occurred our worst sandstorm, a regular corker. Blew down the Quft mens' tent, tore up the cook tent and would have taken our own if we had not been up every half hour to strengthen the ropes and keep the walls tied up. The men came out twice and readjusted the chunks of fossil wood on the guy ropes. It was impossible to face the wind and everything was black as pitch. This morning the beds and everything in the tents were covered with a thick layer of fine sand. Camels should have been in yesterday and we had only one fantass of water left -- too close a margin in this weather. Camels have just arrived, 9 P.M.

Our heavy sandstorms are all from the north and all come at night. The day winds are mostly So-West. Last night's storm lasted from about 9 untill 4.

Yesterday Olsen and I spent the forenoon in the Middle Eocene collecting invertebrates but finding no good vertebrates. Took only 1/2 bottle water and came home very dry.

The flies are getting to be the greatest nuisance, the heat would not be so bad without them; they are particularly bad when pasting bones. The paste draws the flies and with both hands engaged they have a free swing at one's face. The weather is not excessively hot yet but still uncomfortable -- about like a hot day in Wyoming.

Are planning now to break this camp on the 21st and go to Qasr el-Sagha for a few days before going in to Tamia.

Train atTamia.

Both Olsen and I worked in upper beds today. Took photographs of Gebel. Daoud and men prospecting found half of a Moeritherium skull.

Fri. Apr. 19:
The only hot day I have ever seen! Weather conditions were not unusual in the morning. After breakfast I went with Daoud and Ibrahim to the west to collect the small turtle skull and the Ars.-- humerus of Markgraf's -- took the camera.

Collecting a fossil turtle.

Atmosphere began to be hazy about 10 o'clock, preventing good photographs, growing hotter and with strong So-West wind. By noon the air was full of dust and the wind strong and hot. I realized a Khamsine was on and packed up the turtle and started for camp. The hot sand was moving freely by this time but the wind was fortunately at our backs. Reached camp at 1:o'clock about used up. Olsen had returned earlier from upper beds. Spent afternoon lying in bottom of tent -- suffocated with sand and scorched with heat. Natives wrapped our water bottles in wet burlap which afforded some relief. At 6 P.M. the wind died down suddenly and after a few moments of calm a cool north breeze sprung up causing hundreds of tiny whirlwinds as it came in contact with the So.-West wind. It is now (9:P.M.) very comfortable again.