204 THE IMPORTANCE OF BIRD LIFE 



score feet. And the birds, much perturbed by 

 the unnatural activities around their homes, be- 

 gan to die off. 



In the meantime Peru was making the best of a 

 good bargain from other natural resources owed 

 to birds. Together with Chile she was working 

 her nitrate beds for all they were worth. These 

 were responsible for a large portion of the world's 

 gunpowder, and there was an ever-increasing de- 

 mand for their product. Civil war had broken out 

 in the United States, Europe was aflame with 

 martial activity, and there was a pressing call for 

 more ammunition to fight battles. 



So enormous were the nitrate beds that Chile 

 and Peru heartily congratulated themselves and 

 cheerfully supplied the growing demand. A 

 million and a half tons of Chile saltpeter were 

 taken out in one year. In 1860 it had been esti 

 mated that the deposits were sufficient to supply 

 the world for 1500 years more; three decades 

 later a few optimists thought that the nitrates 

 might possibly last forty years longer, so heavily 

 had the beds been plundered. 



Peru waxed opulent. (She owned both guano 

 and nitrate beds. An export duty was levied on 

 all the material taken out. As the trade flour- 

 ished, her national wealth multiplied. All inter- 

 nal taxation was abolished. A supposedly ideal 

 government was established, a government which 



