Titicaca
a remarkable lake, des ; partly in Peru and partly in Bolivia; 12,545 feet above the seais 120 miles in length, with an average level. It lies N. W. and S. E. , and width of from 50 to 60 miles. The S. portion, measuring 24 by 21 miles, is almost severed from the main body of the lake by a projecting peninsula. The lake discharges at its S. W. extremity by the Desaguadero into the salt Lake Aullagas, which has no known outlet.
The E. shore of Lake Titicaca is abrupt and mountainous, but the W. and S. W. shores are low and level, and are skirted by thick beds of tall rushes swarming with with waterfowl, and of floating weed, which affords food to cattle when the ing weed , scanty land pastures are exhausted. The TITICACA lake is deep and stormy, so that ice forms near the shores only. It contains a number of strange fishes, and eight species of marine crustaceans, which seem to indicate that it was once at the sea-level. There are eight habitable islands, the largest being Titicaca, which gave its name to the lake; and has an area of 20 square miles. It was the sacred island of the Incas, who laid it out in terraces planted with consecrated maize and flowers, and irrigated by channels supplied from the royal bath at the top. According to Squier, the name Titicaca probably signi fies "Tiger Rock," and is due to a fancied resemblance of the rugged crest of the island to a wildcat. The lake is now navigated by steamers, and may be reached by railway from the seaport of Mollendo, 346 miles distant. signi-