142 ANIMAL FOOD EESOURCES OF DIFFERENT NATIONS. 



These expensive articles of food are principally em-^ 

 ployed in making soup, which owes most of its flavour 

 to the ingredients that are added ; but they are also made: 

 use of in various ways, and are regarded as a great 

 delicacy by Chinese epicures. When newly formed these 

 nests are perfectly clear, of a yellowish- white colour, and 

 wholly soluble in water; but when old they becomsf 

 deeply; soiled and mixed with feathers, and their value 

 is immensely deteriorated. Hence they are broadly dis- 

 tinguished into white and black, of which the first are 

 by far the most scarce and valuable, being found in the 

 proportion of one only to twenty-five. The white nests, 

 sell in China for nearly their weight in silver. Besides^ 

 birds'-nest soup, it is made into a jelly, prepared in the 

 following manner : — They steep the nest in water during 

 one night, then with great trouble clean it. This being 

 done it is boiled in water, to which sugar candy is added 

 till the whole forms a jelly. A single nest prepared in 

 this way is enough for one person. These nests being 

 very dear, only the wealthy Chinamen can obtain this 

 delicacy. The rich opium smokers take in the morning 

 a cup of it, for the purpose of refreshing and strengthen- 

 ing their debilitated frames. Persons attacked by con- 

 sumption are advised by the Chinese practitioners ta. 

 take these firsts ; they prescribe them also to those who 

 are reduced by a protracted illness. 



The birds which build these nests, of which there are- 

 two or probably more species, are found in great abun- 

 dance in all parts of the Eastern Archipelago, and also 

 on the Continent ^f India ; the nests are collected in 

 great quantities, and constitute an important article of 

 commerce with China. 



About 250 lbs, of these birds' nests are collected- 

 annually in Lower Cochin China, and fetch from 290 to- 

 405 francs the kilo. The nests taken which are stilL 

 inhabited by birds are clean, but those which have been 

 abandoned contain a great quantity of agglutinated; 

 feathers and excrements. 



The gelatinous substance of which they are composed. 



