FLESH FOOD FURNISHED BY THE FEATHKRED TRIBES. 143 



swells in cold water like gum tragacanth, and is only 

 partially dissolved in boiling water. 120 grammes are 

 required to make about half a litre of soup. They are 

 washed, in cold water, and cooked in a bain marie for 

 about eight hours. A fowl is then boned and the flesh 

 pounded, the graVy of which is added to the nests, with 

 seasoning, and the whole is then boiled for a quarter of 

 an hour. 



Crawfurd in 1825 estimated the value of the nests 

 annually imported into China at £243,000, but this 

 appears excessive, judging by later returns. Some are 

 imported from Caltura on the western coast of Ceylon, 

 where the Chinese have rented caves from the Govern- 

 ment. The average annual imports of birds' nests 

 into China in the four years ending 1870 were 531 

 piculs, and in the five yeats ending 1875, 645 piculs 

 (86,000 lbs,) 



The value of these birds' nests exported from Bruni 

 in Borneo in 1857 was £2,800. 



In the three years ending 1865, edible birds' nests to 

 the value of £2,880 were exported from Sarawak, and 

 in 1880 to the value of £2,567. 



There were imported into Labuan from Borneo and 

 the Sulu Islands in the years 1869 and 1870, 26,730 cat- 

 ties of birds' nests, valued at £17,000. 



In 1872 672| piculs of birds' nests were imported into 

 China in foreign vessels, which was a large increase on 

 previous years. From Singapore the quantity reshipped 

 to China in 1867 was 254 cwt., valued at £19,000. 



Scamores. — Among the Scansores, or climbing birds, 

 there are very few that have been tried for food. The 

 Indians of Guiana find the flesh of the Ara very good. 



The flesh of the macaw of the West Indies is hard,- 

 but it is in great esteem among many, especially the' 

 French. The green parroquet is a favourite food of the 

 natives of Paraguay, who make an excellent soup with 

 it, but the flesh is tough. 



Parrots in Jamaica are generally reckoned vety ^ieli- 

 cate meat, and are not unlike pigeons in flavour ; they are 



