228 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



During drought we have witnessed an attempt to irrigate grass 

 lands, but the growth by irrigation is small indeed compared with 

 the growth during the same length under the operation of rain 

 and showers. The great rains within the tropics produce an abun- 

 dant growth of vegetation, but the water from the heaveus brings 

 down large amounts of ammonia which may have been supplied 

 by evaporations of sea water from the ocean. 



There are many small islands composing the Chincha group, 

 where birds and seals resort, but very little guano comparatively 

 is found on them, and this of an inferior quality . They are not 

 covered with the real guano, but with a deposit of bird lime or 

 dung and dead animals, small in quantity an^l thickness. The 

 seals when they become sick come on to the islands to die; they 

 are much inclined also to come on the shore when not disturbed 

 to bring forth their young. So does the animal called the sea 

 lion, which is an immense seal, strong and ferocious. 



Whales and black fish are plenty around these islands, and 

 come in shore to clean themselves of the barnacles which accu- 

 mulate on them. 



The sea elephant is a very large species of seal from which the 

 sea elephant oil is taken, and occasionally it appears at these 

 islands. 



The fish around these islands are eels in great abundance, also 

 a species of bass and rock cod herrings. The fly fish, the shad 

 fish, or a fish very similar, a large shell fish like sea snails and 

 cockel are found in great quantities around these islands; the 

 whole ocean is alive with inhabitants. This resort of fish brings 

 the seals and birds into these waters in great quantities, which 

 - make this sea their feeding grounds. The same causes on the 

 western coast of Peru as those on the grand banks of New Found- 

 land, produce the great schools of fish at the Chincha islands. 



Messrs Gibbs and Bright of Liverpool, have a lease of the 

 guano islands from the Peruvian government, for five years, 

 which expires in 1857, but they expect a renewal. This house 

 pays the Peruvian government about $4.50 a ton for the privi- 

 lege of taking all the guano from the islands, the government 

 furnishing the men to dig the guano. 



The ships that load at the islands are mostly ships chartered to 

 carry a cargo, or are sent there by the owners to take away a 

 cargo bought of Gibbs & Bright, who have the entire monopoly 

 of the trade. 



