324 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



*' the land, except the excrement of certain fowls, 

 " called fea-fparrows, of which there are flocks fo 

 " numerous, as to exceed all belief. They inhabit 

 " the defert iflands on the coaft, and by the accu- 

 '' mulation of their ordure, they whiten them to 

 ** fuch a degree, that, at fome diflance, they might 

 *' be taken for mounlains covered with fnow. The 

 " Incas referved to themfelves the right of dif- 

 *^ pofing of thofe iflands, as a royal boon to fuch 

 *' and fuch a favourite province." Now this dung 

 was entirely the produce of the fiflies on which 

 thofe fowls conftantly fed. 



*' In other countries, on the fame coaft," fays 

 he ■*■, " fuch as that of Atica, of Atitipa, of Villa- 

 ** cori, of Malla, and Chilca, they dung the land 

 " with the heads of pilchers, which they fow there 

 " in great quantities. They put them in the 

 ** ground at fmall intervals from each other, along 

 " with two or three grains of maize. At a parti- 

 '* cular feafon of the year, the Sea throws upon the 

 ** fliore fuch quantities of live pilchers, that they 

 *' have an abundant fupply for food, and for ma- 

 " nure, and this to fuch a degree, that after thefe 

 '* demands were fatisfied, they could eafily load 

 " whole fliips with the overplus." 



* Confiilt the fame Work. 



h 



