l62 Koch, Edible Bird-Nests. [ ,sf 7an. 



Although large numbers of Salangane nests have been 

 collected for centuries, no decrease in the number of birds has so 

 far been observed. China imports yearly about 9 million nests, 

 amounting to a total weight of 168,000 lbs. On the north coast 

 of Borneo, i lb. of the best white nests is worth 50s. at least. 

 The nests, which have the form of a quartered egg, are so thin 

 that about 70 go to a pound. It requires three nests to make a 

 soup for one person. The more or less soiled black nests are 

 relatively cheap, for the price is only 2/- to 3/- per lb. 



The Chinese first soak the nests and afterwards place them in 

 a tightly closed pot, together with a fat capon or Duck, and 

 allow them to boil gently for 25 hours. The Japanese boil them 

 into a slimy mass, which is mixed with sugar and eaten cold. 

 European epicures have them sliced and boiled in strongly 

 spiced broth ; they are said to stimulate the appetite, an effect 

 which is probably partly due to the action of the spices. 



Stray Feathers. 



A Robber. — A case in which the White-eared Honey-eater 

 {Ptilotis leucotis) figured as a breaker of the " eighth command- 

 ment " recently came under my notice. A pair of these Honey- 

 eaters were building a nest on the banks of the Cardinia Creek, 

 Beaconsfield, and, although lining material was by no means 

 scarce in the locality, they selected a lined nest of the Brown 

 Tit {^AcantJiiza piisilla) as a suitable source of it, making frequent 

 trips to and fro till they had exhausted the supply. The Tits 

 evidently recognized the futility of ministering to the Honey- 

 eaters' wants, and therefore moved to more favoured breeding- 

 grounds. — F. E. Wilson. Melbourne, 22/10/09. 



Can Birds Retain their Eggs.?— In the flight aviary in 

 the Melbourne Zoological Gardens a pair of Black-breasted 

 Plovers {Zonifer tricolor) laid two eggs, but before tlie clutch of 

 four could be completed a young Sacred Kingfisher {^Halcyon 

 sanctus) ate them. This catastrophe put the Plovers off from 

 laying any more at the time, but about a month later, on 3rd 

 November, they nested again, and six eggs were laid — that is, 

 the usual clutch of four and apparently the two that should have 

 been laid with the first clutch. Is it possible that the bird has 

 power to prevent its eggs coming to maturity ? and, if so, are 

 those retained merged into the succeeding clutch ? This in 

 some cases may help to account for the number of eggs in a clutch 

 being so irregular. Possibly other observers may have noticed 

 the same occurrence. — D. Le Souef, Melbourne, 19/11/09. 



