GUANO. 129 



rior, as well as the bones of these birds, which 

 are used as cutting instruments by the Indians, 

 having been found at some depth below the 

 surface, and the fact of the white Guano as- 

 suming the red colour by time, as observed in 

 the island of Torrecilla, are convincing proofs 

 that the coloured Guano is an animal produc- 

 tion. 



" There are three varieties of Guano, the red, 

 the dark gray, and the white. The first two 

 are met with in the Isles of Chinca, near Pisco, 

 at Iquique, and on the hill of Pica. The term 

 " Guano of Iquique," is sometimes used, from 

 its having been first procured from the island 

 of that name. This island is situated about 

 400 yards from the port of Iquique; it is about 

 a half a mile long, and about 200 yards broad, 

 and furnished large quantities of Guano for 25 

 years, when it became exhausted. The hill 

 of Pica is very high, and is covered with 

 Guano down to the water's edge, while that 

 side does not face the sea, is of sand and gravel. 

 In this hill or rock, a silver mine was formerly 

 worked, but no trace of Guano was found 

 during the excavation. The adjoining hills 

 on either side are of sand, which is carried by 

 the winds, and covers up the Guano, to remove 

 which the sand is first taken away, and deep 

 excavations made, the Guano extending nearly 

 a quarter of a league in length, and 300 yards 

 in depth.* 



*' It is likewise found at St. Lobos, about 

 three leagues to the south of Pica, but as the 



* Query — 300 yards from the shore inland? 

 12* 



