104 
CATALOGUE. 
During the British possession of Java, from 1811 to 1816, the 
history and management of the birds'-nests engaged the attention of 
Government, chiefly on account of their importance as a source of 
revenue; and much valuable information was collected and made 
public. The substance of this the inquirer will find in the " History 
of Java," by the Honourable Sir T. S. Eaffles, and the " History of 
the Indian Archipelago," by John Crawfurd, Esq. 
The fact that these swallows congregate in large flocks in rock- 
caverns, and build their nests on the walls, is mentioned by all 
writers on the subject ; and on the condition of these caverns much 
of the quality and value of the nest depends. Of the character and 
number of these caverns, as found in the Indian Archipelago gene- 
rally, Kttle is known ; and it is only in Java that accurate information 
has been obtained. 
The geological constitution of this island is peculiarly favourable 
to the attraction and shelter of these birds. In tlie interior, exten- 
sive ranges of limestone rock are abundant, containing caverns and 
fissures of considerable extent. The southern coast, near the ocean, 
consists in many localities of precipitous piles and strata of lime- 
stone, marl, and clay, intermixed with volcanic materials. In these, 
extensive caverns and fissures are naturally formed, which constitute 
the favourite resort of these birds. The chief of these localities 
along the southern shore are Karong-bolong, Eangkop, and Pajit- 
tan. Various details respecting the caverns found in these districts, 
their individual character and extent, the regulations established to 
secure a regular supply of nests, with other particulars which can- 
not be introduced here, are given in the eighth volume of the 
" Transactions of the Bata\dan Society of Arts," in an " Essay 
on the Greography and Geology of the Western Provinces of the 
Native Princes of Java," by T. Horsfield ; and in " Travels through 
Java," by Dr. Er. Junghuhn, pp. 108, 109. 
The present administration and management of these caverns is 
founded on the experience of many years, and has been reduced to a 
remarkable degree of accuracy, so that the average quantity of nests 
to be expected from the individual caves can be estimated before the 
period of collection with considerable precision. This collection of 
the nests is undertaken, with occasional slight variations, at three 
annual periods, according to the subdivision of the year in the 
Javanese calendar. The largest gathering is made in the month 
Kapat, agreeing with October, after an interval of six months from 
the preceding period, Kasongo, corresponding to our month March : 
