198 NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



whicli she ejects in pellets from her own 

 stomach. 



There are "edible birds' nests" — that is, 

 nests that are good for food. The Chinese 

 relish them. They are the nests of a certain 

 species of swift, which makes them of a pecul- 

 iar secretion of the salivary glands ; this hard- 

 ens rapidly when exposed to the air, becoming 

 like isinglass, and is one of the delights of John 

 Chinaman. 



There are humming birds and tiny gross- 

 beaks which suspend their nests by a single 

 thread. But suppose the weight of the grow- 

 ing youngsters within should destroy the bal- 

 ance of the nest and tip it to one side, what is 

 the old bird to do ? Let them dash themselves 

 to death on the ground ? Oh, no ! She only 

 puts some lumps of earth on the other side to 

 restore the equipoise. This would be almost 

 beyond belief if it were not vouched for by 

 credible writers on birds and their quaint 

 habits. 



