The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-03-10
PERU IS RICH
IN FOOD FISH

New York, Mar. 9.-Peru's coastal
waters are teeming with enough fish
to feed the world and her islands are
All veritable bird sanctuaries, accord
ing to Robert Cushman Murphy, cur
ator OF natural science of the Brook
lyn Museum, just returned from six
months exploration in South America
with 500 photogra phs and 10000 feet OF
motion picture film. Mr.. Murphy said
that on one island he found '-the most
abundant seabird life on EARTH" as
many as 1,00O,O00 feathered creatures
OF single species.
The fisheries of Peru. he said, are
unorganized and, although fish are
plentiful, including such edible va
rieties as the bonito, anchoveta, PETER
reg or smelt, the congril somewhat
like a ccd), the founder and corvena
fcom parable to the American salmon).
Peruvains literally "go hungry be-
cause Of their scarcity and high price
inland due to the problems Of icing
and transportation.
A few miles off the coast, the re-
turned explorer said, he let down net
and drew it out Of the sea filled with
four varieties of the most delicious
edible crabs. These crustaceans, he
said would furnish the basis for big
canning industry both for home and
foreign consumption. vast quantities
of such seafood now being annually
imported by the United States from
Japan.
The wonderful fish and bird life"
Of Peru, Mr. Murphy attributed to the
Hum boldt Current, a cold body of
oceanic water which flows along 1890
miles of the coast. He made many
observations of this current he said,
following those Of Alexander Agasslz
and DR.. Robert F. Coker. of the United
states Fish Commission, pioneers IN
such work Although Perus proximity
10 the equator, he said, would cause
one to suppose that it might have a
temperature like that of Florida, IT'S
actual temperature was more IKE that
DE Boston. The result of the inter-
esting correlation between the rum :
boldt Current and the abundance OF
fish and bird life, he said, he has
covered in more than 500 pages OF
data. He also brought with him six
teen cases and crates, in many or
which are specimens of curious marine
and feathered creatures.
Mr. Murphy called attention TO the
euano or fertilizer deposits of Peru
which. he said, may be doubled by the
conservation methods devised by Fran
cisco BaIlen, a Peruvian, who ne de-
scribed as zone of the most far
sighted and able economists in the
world" In furtherance of Mr.. Ballens
plans, the explorer said. he advocated
increasing the breeding area or the
ruano producing birds, at present con-
fined to fifteen islands. the largest OF
which are the Chinchi and Lobos, and
I
in thickness have been found.
The value of the guano deposits, he
said. wars also due to the action of
the Humboldt Current, the cold winds
from which, blowing over the arid
land, preserved the fertihzing quail
ties of the bird lime. Mr.. Murphy,
whose work was aided by the Peru
Wan government, said the islands
might be enlarged by dynamiting the
cliffs into the sea. He also urged the
stoppage of guano gathering during
the "courtship" of the birds. The
guano, he said, is dug by natives in
the interior of the islands and carried
in small railway cars to the coast,
where it Is put aboard ships. Expor-
tation of the fertilizer. he said. was
being held upon account of high ocean
freight rates.
tue SutlAO NOAC
by Mr.. Murphy as the white breasted
cormorant, commercially worth SIS
pair in Lima;) the pelican and two
species of gannet. BY actual computa-
ton of the nests of some of these
birds per meter on the islands he es
timated that more than 100000 Of
that one species inhabitated it. Mr..
Murphy said the ancient Incas of Peru
highly priced the guano birds and
penalized with death anyone who
killed one. Many of the motion pic
ture films he brought back, he said,
showed the life history Of the sea-
birds as well as the native fisheries
and the guano industry.
In the period from 1910 to 1908, Mr..
Murphy said, many of the birds were
killed off and it is only in recent
years that efforts have been made to
conserve this important resource of
Peru. President Leguia, and other
prominent men, he said, have encour-
aged foreign scientific men to visit
Peru for the purpose of ascertaining
the best conservation methods. A
steam trawler and two launches were
placed at Mir. Murphy's disposal upon
his arrival at Lima, and from these he
conducted his researches and expert
ments. Guano, lie said, is the best
fertilizer known for sugar cane and