HABITS AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF THE GUANO 



BIRDS OF PERU. 



By Robert E. Coker, 



In charge Scientific Inquiry, United States Bureau, cj Fisheries. 



INTRODUCTION. 



In the course of an economic study of the guano and fishery indus- 

 tries undertaken for the Peruvian Government and carried on from 

 December, 1906, to August, 1908, I enjoyed many opportunities for 

 observing the habits and determining the commercial importance of 

 birds frequenting the guano islands or their environments. On 

 several occasions I was enabled to live in camp upon the islands during 

 the season when they were by law closed to the general public, 

 although on such favorable occasions it was never possible to give 

 exclusive attention to studies of the birds. 



After making the necessary reports with recommendations to the 

 Government of Peru,* I returned to the United States with a body of 

 uncompiled field notes, as weU as with a considerable collection of 

 specimens representing the fauna and flora of the coastal waters, and 

 some specimens of the sea birds. The collections, excepting the birds 

 and some miscellaneous specimens, have been reported upon by 

 specialists in the several groups.' A general account of the guano 



1 Several papers in the Boletin del Ministerio de Fomento, published in Lima, 1907-1909. See also Re- 

 garding the future of the guano industry and the guano-producing birds of Peru. Science, N. S. toI. 28, 



No. 706, pp. 58-64. July 10, 1908. 

 » Howe, Marshall Avery: The marine algae of Peru, Mem. Torrey Bot. Club, vol. 15, pp. 1-185, 66 plates 

 and 44 text figures. New York, Sept. 19, 1914. 



Clark, Hubert Lyman: The echinoderms of Peru. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., at Harvard College, vol. 3, 

 pp. 1-358, 14 pis. Cambridge, Mass., Oct., 1910. 



Dall, William Healy: Report on a collection of shells from Peru, with a summary of the littoral marine 

 mollusca of the Peruvian Zoological Province. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 37, pp. 147-294, with pis. 

 20-28. Washington, Nov. 24, 1909. 



Pillsbry, Henry A.: Report on barnacles of Peru, collected by Dr. R. E. Coker and others. Proc. U. S. 

 Nat. Mus., vol. 37, pp. 63-74, with pis. 16-19. Washington, Oct. 18, 1909. 



Richardson, Harriet: Report on isopods from Peru, collected by Dr. R. E. Coker. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 vol. 38, pp. 79-85. Washington, May 3, 1910. 



Walker, Alfred O.: Marine amphipods from Peru. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 38, pp. 621-622. Washing- 

 ton, Oct. 18, 1910. 



Weckel, Ada L.: Fresh-water amphipods from Peru. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 38, pp. 623-624. Wash- 

 ington. Oct. 18, 1910. 



Rathbun, Mary J.: The stalk-eyed Crustacea of Peru and the adjacent coast. Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus., 

 vol. 38, pp. 531-620, with pis. 36-56. Washington, Oct. 20, 1910. 



Evermann, Barton Warren, and Lewis Radclille: The fishes of the west coast of Peru and the Titlcaca 

 Basin. U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 95, pp. 3-157, vnth pis. 1-14. Washington, 1917. 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 56— No. 2298. 

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