98 THE ARCHITECTURE OF BIRDS. 
swallow to cement the materials of its nest, is de- 
rived from glands distinguished both in function and 
situation from the common salivary glands, we may 
perhaps be authorized to infer that similar glands 
exist in the head of the swallow called salangane, 
and by naturalists the esculent swallow (Hirundo 
esculenta? Latu.)* As this singular nest has for 
many centuries been an object of curiosity among 
naturalists, it is scarcely credible that it should still, 
up to the present time, remain involved in mystery ; 
and, to use the words of Dr. Fleming, “it is much 
to be regretted that the recent historians of those 
regions have added so little to its history.” 
The earliest modern account of these edible nests 
which we have met, is given by Bontius, a Dutch 
physician, who resided in Java, and published some 
excellent works on the natural history and diseases 
of the East. ‘On the seacoast,” says he, “of the 
kingdom of China, a sort of small particoloured 
birds, of the shape of swallows, at a certain season 
of the year, namely, their breeding time, come out 
of the midland country to the rocks, and from the 
foam or froth of the seawater dashing and break- 
ing against the bottom of the rocks, gather a certain 
clammy, glutinous matter, perchance the sperm of 
whales or other fishes, of which they build their 
nests, wherein they lay their eggs and hatch their 
young. These nests the Chinese pluck from the 
rocks and bring them in great numbers into the 
East Indies to sell; which are esteemed by gluttons 
great delicacies, who, dissolving them in chicken or 
mutton broth, are very fond of them, preferring them 
far before oysters, mushrooms, or other dainty and 
liquorish morsels.” 
Kircher, Du Halde, and others, candidly confess 
that the substance composing these nests is un- 
known; while others deal in theoretical conjectures. 
+ This epithet is not very appropriate, as it is not the bird 
which is eaten, but its nest, 
