The surface of the lower ledge, which extends from a low cliff overhanging the sea to the foot of the next upper escarpment, is covered by an enormous accumulation of recent shells. (M. Chevalier, in the "Voyage of the 'Bonite'" observed these shells; but his specimens were lost.--"L'Institut" 1838 page 151.) The bed is level, and in some parts more than two feet in thickness; I traced it over a space of one mile in length, and heard of it in other places: the uppermost part is eighty-five feet by the barometer above high-water mark. The shells are packed together, but not stratified: they are mingled with earth and stones, and are generally covered by a few inches of detritus; they rest on a mass of nearly angular fragments of the underlying sandstone, sometimes cemented together by common salt. I collected eighteen species of shells of all ages and sizes. Several of the univalves had evidently long lain dead at the bottom of the sea, for their INSIDES were incrusted with Balani and Serpulae. All, according to Mr. G.B. Sowerby, are recent species: they consist of:--
1. Mytilus Magellanicus: same as that found at Valparaiso, and there stated to be probably distinct from the true M. Magellanicus of the east coast.
2. Venus costellata, Sowerby "Zoological Proceedings."
3. Pecten purpuratus, Lam.
4. Chama, probably echinulata, Brod.
5. Calyptraea Byronensis, Gray.
6. Calyptraea radians (Trochus, Lam.)
7. Fissurella affinis, Gray.
8. Fissurella biradiata, Trembly.
9. Purpura chocolatta, Duclos.
10. Purpura Peruviana, Gray.
11. Purpura labiata, Gray.
12. Purpura buxea (Murex, Brod.).
13. Concholepas Peruviana.
14. Nassa, related to reticulata.
15. Triton rudis, Brod.
16. Trochus, not yet described, but well-known and very common.
17 and 18. Balanus, two species, both common on the coast.
These upraised shells appear to be nearly in the same proportional numbers- -with the exception of the Crepidulae being more numerous--with those on the existing beach. The state of preservation of the different species differed much; but most of them were much corroded, brittle, and bleached: the upper and lower surfaces of the Concholepas had generally quite scaled off: some of the Trochi and Fissurellae still partially retain their colours. It is remarkable that these shells, taken all together, have fully as ancient an appearance, although the extremely arid climate appears highly favourable for their preservation, as those from 1,300 feet at Valparaiso, and certainly a more ancient appearance than those from five to six hundred feet from Valparaiso and Concepcion; at which places I have seen grass and other vegetables actually growing out of the shells. Many of the univalves here at San Lorenzo were filled with, and united together by, pure salt, probably left by the evaporation of the sea-spray, as the land slowly emerged. (The underlying sandstone contains true layers of salt; so that the salt may possibly have come from the beds in the higher parts of the island; but I think more probably from the sea-spray. It is generally asserted that rain never falls on the coast of Peru; but this is not quite accurate; for, on several days, during our visit, the so-called Peruvian dew fell in sufficient quantity to make the streets muddy, and it would certainly have washed so deliquescent a substance as salt into the soil. I state this because M. d'Orbigny, in discussing an analogous subject, supposes that I had forgotten that it never rains on this whole line of coast. See Ulloa's "Voyage" volume 2 English Translation page 67 for an account of the muddy streets of Lima, and on the continuance of the mists during the whole winter. Rain, also, falls at rare intervals even in the driest districts, as, for instance, during forty days, in 1726, at Chocope (7 degrees 46'); this rain entirely ruined ("Ulloa" etc. page 18) the mud houses of the inhabitants.) On the highest parts of the ledge, small fragments of the shells were mingled with, and evidently in process of reduction into, a yellowish-white, soft, calcareous powder, tasting strongly of salt, and in some places as fine as prepared medicinal chalk.