332 THE OCEAN. 



the Chinese, in their annual visits to the Oriental 

 Isles, and, by consequence, that which forms the chief 

 lading of the returning j'uiks, is the edible birds'-nest ; 

 the production of several species of Swallow belonging 

 to the genus Collocalia ; of which, as it seems to be 

 an oceanic production, I shall give a short account. 

 For many ages the nests have been in use in China, 

 and it is a remarkable instance of the fictitious value 

 often attached by fashion to things of little moment 

 in themselves, but procured from a distance with 

 much expense, difficulty, and danger. From the 

 accounts of travellers, which differ much in detail, 

 we gather, that certain large caverns in the interior 

 of the island, as well as on the coast, are frequented 

 by immense numbers of these birds, of which there 

 seem to be at least two species, one being, accord- 

 ing to many observers, smaller than a wren ; the 

 other, according to Sir E. Home, who dissected some 

 brought home by Sir Stamford Iiaffles, " double the 

 size of our common swallow." M. Poivre, who, in 

 1741, visited the Straits of Sunda, o'oserved these 

 birds in a little island called the little Tocque. A 

 party having landed to shoot green pigeons, this 

 gentleman, accompanied by a sailor, walked along the 

 beach in search of shells and jointed corals, which 

 were very abundant. After having walked some 

 distance, he was called by his companion, who had 

 discovered a deep cavern. M. Poivre, hastening to 

 the spot, found the entrance darkened by an immense 

 cloud of small birds, pouring out in swarms. He 

 entered, and with ease knocked down many of the 

 little birds, with which he was at that time un 



