FLESH FOOD FURNISHED BY THK FEATHERED TRIBES. 141 



caves of Karang-bolong; situated in the province of 

 Baglin in Java, and on the shore of the Southern sea, 

 may be taken as an example. 



There are three periods for making the collection — 

 April, August, and December. The nest gatherers are 

 persons bred to their dangerous calling, and the nests are 

 collected with long bamboo ladders. After the crop has 

 been taken, the caves are hermetically sealed against 

 human ingress. The whole annual gathering here, which 

 is effected with little cost, amounts to about 28,000 lbs. 



These nests are by no means confined to the sea 

 coasts, for they are obtained in caves in the interior, both 

 of Java and Borneo, and no doubt exist also in other 

 islands. On the north-western side of Borneo, and not far 

 from the banks of the river Baram, birds'-nest caves are 

 found 140 miles from the sea by the course of the river. 



The prices paid for these nests in the Canton market 

 vary greatly, according to the quality. Williams tells 

 us, in his work on China, that those of the best sort used 

 to fetch the enormous price of 3,500 doUars the picul of 

 133 lbs., or more than £5 10s. the pound; the second 

 quality produces 2,800 dollars per picul, and the third, or 

 uncleaned, not more than 1,600 dollars. But the prices 

 are now lower, viz., 2,500, 1,500 and 1,000 dollars. The 

 nests resemble much a piece of fibrous isinglass badly 

 cooked, of a reddish-white colour. They are little 

 thicker than a silver spoon, and vary in weight from a 

 quarter to half an ounce. When dry they are brittle and 

 rough on the surface. In size they are a little larger 

 than a goose egg. They are cleaned with great care, 

 dried in the shade, and packed away. A large portion 

 of the best quality nests are sent to Pekin for the use of 

 the Court. In some parts of China as much as £9 per 

 catty (rather more than 1^ lbs.) has been paid for 

 these birds' nests. 



The value of the collection of these birds' nests in 

 Siam, where it is a government monopoly, was stated 

 by Crawfurd, many years ago, to be about £12,500 

 annually. 



