CATALOGUE. 
101 
LiNCHi, Java, Horsf. 
A. adult, B. young and nest. Java. From Dr. Hors- 
field's Collection. 
The earliest notice in works on natural history of a species of 
Hirundo producing the so-called edible birds'-nests, is given by Bon- 
tius in the " Historia Naturalis Indiae Orientalis," published in the 
year 1658, chapter XIII., de JVidis Hirundinum edulihus. 
About half a century later, the same subject attracted the attention 
of the two distinguished Dutch writers, Valentyn and E<umphius. 
The former describes the bird as he observed it in the Moluccas, 
Amboyna, Ternate, and Grilolo. See " Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien," 
door Francois Valentyn, III. Deil, p. 328 (1726). 
Rumphius, whose " Herbarium Amboinense " was completed 
before the end of the seventeenth century, though not published 
till 1750 by J. Burman, gives a very detailed description of the 
bird producing the nidi esculenti or sarong-burong, with copious 
remarks on its habits, use, and distribution through the Indian Ar- 
chipelago. His description, if correct, would confirm the character 
given by Brisson in the second volume of his Ornithology, on the 
authority of M. Poivre. " Ipsarum color, Eumphius states, "^Ze- 
Tumque niger est cum cmruleo fulgore, sique caudce plumce separentur, 
in quavis penna alba consjpicitur macula^ — (Herb. Amb. vol. VI. 
p. 183.) 
Soon after the commencement of the eighteenth century, these 
now celebrated edible nests became a subject of interest to naturalists 
and scientific travellers in the East. In a Catalogue of Birds found 
in the island of Luzon, entitled " Observationes de Avibus Philip- 
pensibus," the Esculent Swallow is brieffy indicated in No. 36, as 
" Hirundo maritima : Salanga ; aliis Sayan, Botalota vel Salangan ; 
cujus nidus est tragacanthum venereum indicum. Nidus avium 
Schroederi : Fatong Indorim, Enno Sinarum. Ahundat in insula 
Jolo, Samboangany — (Transactions of the Philosophical Society, 
vol. XXIII. p. 1306 (1702).) 
The next author who notices them is the indefatigable Ksemp- 
fer. In his " Amoenitates Exoticae," published in 1712, he briefly 
indicates their use as an article of diet, and gives the Japanese name 
and character. 
In the year 1718, Captain Daniel Beeckman found these nests as 
au article of commerce at Banjar-massing, in Borneo. " Besides 
pepper," he states, " they have plenty of birds'-nest, which is sold 
