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? LATH.)* 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. 



t This epithet is not very appropriate, as it is not the bird 

 which is eaten, but its nest. 



