20 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
(January, 
bubbles; these bubbles forming innumerable 
caves and arches. Mr. Peck •writes : " The 
precipices around each of the islands and of the 
Balista group, 'which is of similar formation ten 
miles to the southward, are entirely perforated 
with immense caves, that often have only a thin 
unapproachable recesses." * * " Sometimes the 
rock is 100 or 200 feet thick over these caves, at 
others it is a mere shell precisely like a section 
of a bubble in a cinder." He adds, "I speak of 
them as bubbles, — many of them are 60 feet to 
their roof and more than that across." The 
and being moored to buoys so as to lie near the 
cliffs, the guano is loaded through shutes, in the 
same way the ship's launch is represented as re- 
ceiving its load in figure 4. The entire surface 
of the islands is covered with guano, except 
where the waves wash the rocks, or the sides are 
crust above them, and extend in, no one can tell 
how far, since only a few of them can be ven- 
tured into on account of the surf that rolls in 
great waves into them, with thundering noises 
and perpetual turmoil. Far within, the dark 
dripping ledges may be seen covered with nests 
GUANO BED OF NORTH ISLAND. 
author also mentions caves 100 feet high and 
arches 150 feet high and 200 feet across. 
These cavernous patches of rock in the ocean 
rise to a hight of 200 to 350 feet, having a few 
beaches where landings can be made, and no 
points at which ships can be moored to wharves, 
precipitous. In the deepest parts it is not less 
than 160 feet in depth. The composition of dif- 
ferent samples varies somewhat, but much less 
than would be supposed from the color, which 
in some places is a light ochreous yellow, and in 
others quite red. Figure 1 shows a view of 
rig. A.— PORTION OF GUANO BET). 
and birds, wherever nests can be stuck or birds 
stand; and along with the wind and spray that 
rush out as the waves advance, come the 
hoarse cries of penguius and the roar of Sea 
Lions which have their favorite haunts in such 
on account of the constant roll and dash of the 
great waves rolling in from the broad Pacific. 
Ships are moored in roadsteads between the 
islands, and receive their loads from large boats, 
though sometimes the ships approach the shore, 
LOADING GUANO. 
Middle Island, with the roadstead gay with ship- 
ping, and in the foreground the top of one of 
those remarkable arches before described. Fig- 
ure 2 shows the great guano bed on North Island, 
a nearer view of a portion of which is seen in fig. 3. 
