4 FISHES OF WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA 
than to the existence of a seiche. Though more than fifty miles long and 
half as wide, the lake has a maximum known depth of thirteen feet. 
The literature is flatly contradictory as to the salinity of the water of Lake 
Poopo. It is in fact quite salt and nonpotable. However, I was able to 
subsist four days upon strong tea made with it. So far as observed the salt 
has no effect upon the fish fauna. The Rio de Juli in Peru is considerably 
more saline, yet is inhabited by the same fish as the nearby freshwater creeks. 
Fie. 2. THE FISHING FLEET, LAKE TITICACA. ‘‘Grass’’-boats, or balsas made of reeds, the 
sole means of local transport on the lake. The masts are of spliced, imported poles, the sails and tackle 
of the same ichu-grass used in binding the rolls of the hull. The furled sail becomes a shelter. The 
cargo has gone ashore to the Puno market. 
Even Lake Titicaca is slightly salt, at least locally. This is not evident to the 
taste in most places. ... Other rivers vary seasonally in saline content. R. 
de Lampa in the rainy season has no taste of salt. But Mr. F. H. Grundy 
reports that at Maravillas during the dry season the Indians scrape salt off 
the rocks of its bed. Lake Poopé is probably less salt than it would be did its 
surplus not overflow annually into the Salar de Coipasa. Here, as at Laguna 
Salinas, and elsewhere, salt is recovered on a commercial scale by leaching it 
out of the salty earth. 
