of the Genus Collocalia. 125 
Distribution of the Species of Collocalia (continued). 
Micropolynesian regions. 
Caroline Islands ............ Collocalia nidifica? (apud 
Garnot). 
(ualensis, Streub.? 2) 
Marianne Island............ Collocalia nidifica? (apud 
Freycinet). 
Polynesian regions. 
Santa-Cruz group «.....++ Collocalia vanikorensis. 
New-Hebrides group ...... uropygialis. 
New-Caledonia ,, ...... leucopygia. 
Beeiee) SOUP ie. .ces<-2.o.-= spodiopygia. 
SAMOaM, ss.) sccleaccsacescwe —— B 
DOCIELY ETOUP ..scccrsscceees Forster. 
Marwiesas: j59).07' /oicecese. leucophea. 
Mascarenhas group...... Collocalia francica. 
A species is also said to be found in the Sooloo archipelago 
(apud Forster). 
This table shows that they are chiefly found within the tropics, 
except in North India and Madagascar. 
Ihave refrained from adopting the specific name of esculenta 
for any of the preceding species, as has been proposed by some 
authors ; and I subjoin the following history of this specific name 
in explanation of my reasons for its non-adoption. 
It is to be observed, in the first place, that the name of Hirundo 
esculenta was only founded (as was pointed out by the late Mr. 
Strickland) by Osbeck in 1750 on an edible nest obtained in 
China, to which country they are generally taken from the Malay 
Islands. 
The name was also employed by Linnzeus in the 10th edition 
of the ‘Systema Nature,’ published in 1758. He refers to the 
works of Bontius (1568), Olearius (1674), and Rumphius (1750). 
The first authors described the nest only, while the last re- 
ferred both to a bird and nest. 
It appears that Linneus overlooked the first published de- 
scription and figure of the Swallow and edible nest, which were 
given by Valentyn in 1726, in his ‘Oud en nieuw Oost-Indien’ 
il. Diel, p. 328, pl. opp. p. 800, f. W. This author speaks of a 
bird between 4 and 5 inches in length; of an entirely bluish 
black, with the tail of a lighter colour, and having a white 
spot before the eye as large as the eye itself. He further tells 
us that it was obtained at Ternate; but he refers to other 
