144 THE FEATHERED TRIBES. 



left by the t'oam of the sea upon stones alternately covered by the tide, or those gelati- 

 nous animal substances found floating on every coast. The nests adhere to each other, 

 and to the sides of the cavern, mostly in horizontal rows, without anj' break or inter- 

 ruption, and at different depths, from fifty to five hundred feet. The birds that buUd 

 these nests are small gray swallows with bellies of a dirty white ; they were flying about 

 in considerable numbers, but wore so small, and their flight was so quiclv, that they 

 escaped the shot fired at them. The same sort of nests are said to be also found at the 

 foot of the highest mountains in the middle of Java, at a distance from the sea. The 

 value of these nests is chiefly ascertained by the unifoi-m fineness and delicacy of their 

 texture, those that are white and transparent being most esteemed, and fetching often 

 in China their weight in silver. 



" The best nests are those obtained in deep damp caves, and such as are taken before the 

 birds have laid their effS's- The coarsest are those obtained after the vouno' have been 

 fledged. The best are white, and the inferior dark-coloured streaked with blood, or 

 intermixed with feathers. Birds' nests are collected twice a year ; and if regularly col- 

 lected, and no unusual injury be offered to the caverns, will produce very equally, the 

 quantity being little if at aU improved by the caves being left unmolested for a year or 

 two. Some of the caverns are very difficult of access, and the nests can only be collected 

 by persons accustomed from their youth to the office. — Tlic only preparation which 

 the bird's nest undergoes is that of simple drying, without direct exposure to the 

 sun ; after which they are packed in small boxes, usually of a jiicul (about 130 pounds). 

 They are assorted for the Cliinese market into three kinds, according to the qualities, 

 distinguished into first, or best, second, and third qualities. Caverns that are regularly 

 managed will afford in 100 parts 53 3-lOths of those of the first quality, 35 parts of 

 those of the second, and 11 7-lOth parts of those of the third. The common prices for 

 birds' nests at Canton are, for the first sort, 3,500 Spanish dollars the picul, or 

 £5 18s. \\d. per pound ; for the second 2,800 Spanish dollars the picid, and for the 

 third no more than 1,600 Spanisli dollars. In the Chinese markets a still nicer classifi- 

 cation of the edible nests is often made than on the island. The wliole arc frequently 

 divided into three great classes, under the commercial appellation of puakat, chi-kat, and 

 fiinrj-tunff, each of which, according to quality, is sub-divided into three inferior orders ; 

 and we have consequently prices varying from 1,200 Spanish dollars per picul, to 4,200. 

 These last, therefore, arc more valuable than their weight in silver. Uf the quantity of 

 birds' nests exported from the Indian islands, although we cannot state the exact amount, 

 we have data for liazarding some probable conjectures respecting it. From Java there 

 are exported about 200 piculs, or 27,000 lbs., the greater jjart of which is of the first 

 quality. Tlie greatest quantity is from the Suluk archipelagos, and consists of 530 piculs. 

 From Macassar there are sent about 30 piculs of the same kind. Tlicse data will enable 

 us to offer some conjectures respecting the wliole quantity ; for the edible swallows' nests 

 being universally and almost equally diffused from Junk, Ceylon, to New Guinea, and 

 the whole produce going to one market, and only by one conveyance, the junks, it is 

 probable tliat the average quantity taken by each vessel is not less than the sum taken 

 from the ports just mentioned. Taking the quantity sent from Batavia as the estimate, 

 wo know that this is conveyed by 5,300 tons of shipping ; and, tlierefore, the whole 

 quantity will be 1,818 piculs, or 242,400 pounds, as the whole (jiKuitity of Chinese 

 shipping is 30,000 tons. In the Archipelago, at the prices already quoted, this property 

 is worth 1,203,51!) Spanish dollars, or £'284,290. The value of this immense property 

 to the country which pioduces it, rests upon the cajiricioiis wants of a single people. 

 From its nature it necessarily follows that it is claimed as the exclusive property of the 

 sovereign, and everywhere forms a valuable brancli of liis iiicome or of the I'evenue of 

 the state." 



