212 THE IMPORTANCE OF BIRD LIFE 



individuals or more. The future of the industry 

 has brightened, and it is not too much to expect 

 that some day not many years in the future will 

 see the exportation of hundreds of thousands of 

 tons as of old. The birds, ably assisted by the 

 Compania Administradora del Guano, are doing 

 their best to win back that day. 



That is the story of guano. For Peru it is al- 

 most the whole story. Her bird colonies are a 

 source of wealth which may be counted in hun- 

 dreds of millions of dollars. They are her most 

 important natural resource, one upon which she 

 can depend for a steady annual income. 



