ESCULENT swallow's NEST, 23" 



Fit circumstances must surround 

 Him, or your wishes he'll confound. 

 Crabs on the cherry do not grow, 

 Nor does the pine produce the sloe ; 



The Rufous Bee-eater^ or Merops Rufus, constructs also a very 

 singular nest. This bird is a native of Buenos Ayres; the nest 

 is built generally on the naked great branch of a tree, some- 

 times on the windows of houses, a fence, or a projecting beam 

 ofa^high house or other building: it is composed of earth, In 

 the form of a baker's oven, and is often built in the short space 

 of two days, both birds being engaged in its construction ; it is 

 six inches in diameter, and one thick ; a division is within, be- 

 ginning at the entrance, and carried circularly, so that the eggs 

 are deposited in the inner chamber, on a bed of grass. The 

 swallow and other birds often attempt to obtain possession of 

 this nest; but are generally repulsed by the owners. 



Many of the Orioles' nests are also deserving notice. The 

 Hack and yellow Oriole, (Oriolus persicus,) inhabiting South 

 America, has a pendent nest, shaped like an alembic j it is 

 affixed to the extreme branches of trees; sometimes, it is said, 

 io many as four hundred nests are found hanging on the same 

 tree. See the note on the Orioles in Part II. 



The Philippine and Pensile Grosbeak make also very curious 

 nests. See the note on the Grosbeak, &c. in Part I. 



In concluding this account of the nests of birds, of which 

 occasionally more will be found in the subsequent notes, I may 

 notice here tlie nest of the Hirundo esculenta, or Esculent Swal- 

 low, an inhabitant of China and the Islands of the Indian 

 Ocean. This nest consists of a gelatinous substance, in shape 

 resembhng an apple cut down the middle. Tiie nests are found 

 in great numbers together, and are by the luxurious Asiatics 

 made into broths, and otherwise cooked, and are esteemed 

 one of the greatest dainties of the table j they are also occa- 

 sionally used for glue. 



