Order M1CR0P0DIF0RMES. 
Family MICROPODIDM . 
No. 83. 
COLLOCALIA ESCULENTA. 
EDIBLE NEST SWIFT. 
(Plate 64.) 
Hirundo esculenta Linne, Syst. Nat., 10th edn., p. 191, Jan. 1st, 1858. China error= 
Amboyna (fig. Cruise of the “ Cura 9 oa,” pi. 2). 
Collocalia Jiypoleuca Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1858, p. 170, July 13th: Aru Islands. 
Collocalia viridinitens Gray, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. III., Vol. XVII., p. 120, Peb. 1866: 
Celebes. 
Collocalia spilura Gray, ib.: Batjan. 
Collocalia nitons Ogilvie-Grant, Bull. Brit. Om. Club, Vol. XXXV., p. 35, Dec. 29th, 1914: 
Utakwa River, New Guinea. 
Collocalia esculenta Mathews, Birds Austr., Vol. VII., pt. in., p. 260, Aug. 26th, 1913; 
id., Syst. Av. Austral., p. 399, June 13th, 1927. 
Distribution. Celebes, Moluccas, New Guinea, Aru Islands, Western Papuan Islands, D’Entre¬ 
casteaux, and Louisiade Archipelagoes and Solomon Islands. Australia (Cape York). 
Male . General colour above, including the scapulars and wing-coverts, shining bottle-green, 
becoming bluish on the head ; primary and secondary quills black, shaded with dull violet *, 
middle tail-feathers shining bottle-green, shaded with violet towards the tip; outer tail- 
feathers with a large patch of white at the base of the iimer web ; lores black ; sides of face, 
ear-coverts and cheeks black, very slightly glossed with dull green ; chin, throat and sides 
of neck dark slate, the feathers on "the throat faintly tipped with lighter grey; chest blackish- 
grey bordered with white ; breast, abdomen and sides of the body pme white ; under 
tail-coverts glossy bottle-green broadly margined with white ; under wing-coverts and 
axillaries dark bottle-green margined with white ; quills below r blackish-grey, slightly 
glossed with green. Bill and feet black ; iris dark brown. Total length 100 mm.: 
culrnen 4, wing 95, tail 37, tarsus 8. Cape York. 
The sexes are alike. 
Nest. In colonies in a cave. The nest is composed of the hardened saliva of the birds, into which 
feathers sometimes get entangled. Saucer-shaped and placed on the wall of the cave. 
Eggs. Clutch two, white. 16-17*5 mm. by 10-11. 
Breeding •season. March and April. 
In m 3 7 Birds of Australia, Vol. VII., pt. m., p. 260, August 26th, 1913, I com¬ 
mented on the occurrence of this bird in Australia, and, after doubting Cockerell’s 
record, said “it is possible it may occur on the comparatively unexplored 
northern coasts of Australia”. 
In June of 1929, Mr. Clifford Coles gave me the skin of this species, which 
had been sent to him by Air. Neville W. Caley of Sydney. 
The specimen is a male, collected at Cape York, North Queensland, by 
Mr. M. Flood. This most interesting record will establish the bird on our 
“ Lists”, and we must thank Mr. Neville Caley for his kindness in sending 
over the skin to be figured. 
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