THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



297 



upon him — that of a distinguished philosopher, was the 

 first who cleared up the history of the Salanganes, and 

 gathered some of their nests with his own hands; but he 

 was mistaken in supposing that these swallows built them 

 of fish-spawn, an opinion which long prevailed. 



170. Edible Nests of the Salmgane - Hirundo escuknta (Latham). 



It was M. Lamouroux who, first of all, in 1821 save us 

 an exact account of the composition of these extraordinary 

 nests. He found out that the birds build them of various 

 marine plants which they gather in the waves, belonging 

 chiefly to the genera Gelidium and Sphjerococcus. These 

 the swalloAvs bear away from the surface, while skimming 

 over the billows, gulp down, and afterwards disgorge, mixed 

 with their digestive fluids, which render them glutinous and 

 facilitate the building of the maternal homes. 



