Notes from a Traveler in the Tropics 



91 



now consists in collecting the annual deposit. I have no figures at hand which 

 will show what this amounts to, but a prominent Peruvian official informed me 

 that a three-year deposit on one island amounted to 30,000 tons. The size of 

 the island was not stated, but from Captain Richmond, of MoUendo, I learned 

 that a comparatively small roosting-island — a pyramidal rock— furnished a 

 thousand tons of guano yearly. 



The remarkable photograph which is reproduced with this article, was made 

 by Mr. R. E. Coker, of the United States Fish Commission, on the island of 

 Lobos Afuera, off the northern coast of Peru some years ago. Mr. Coker at 

 this time was making studies of the fish and of the guano-producing birds of 

 Peru for the Peruvian Government. Much of the interesting data gathered by 

 him have, I understand, not yet been published. If the information given me by 

 Peruvian officials is correct, the remarkable Pelican photographs made by Mr. 

 Coker could not now be duplicated. According to these gentlemen the Pelican 

 is being replaced by the Booby — 'Patita,' or little Duck, they call it. Boobies 

 are said to be parasitic on Pelicans, robbing them of their food. I made no 

 observations verifying this statement, but certain it is that thousands of 

 Boobies were observed to one Pelican, and if both my memory and observa- 

 tions are not at fault. Boobies are more abundant and Pelicans less numerous 

 than they were on the Peruvian coast in June, 19 16. 



WILSON'S THRUSH 

 Photographed by C. W. Leister, Uhac.i, N. V 



