. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . Fig. 222.—The Swift. nest. This bird inhabits the rocks and caverns of the sea-shorein Sumatra and Java. The plant called fucus, which abounds inthese regions, is metamorphosed in the birds stomach, and is, after-wards disgorged and made use of to fabricate the walls of its fucus thus devoured forms the nutritive substance so eagerlysought after by the Eastern gourmet. The consumption of the nest ^lO REPTILES AND BIRDS. of the Esculent or Salagane in C
. Reptiles and birds. A popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting. . Fig. 222.—The Swift. nest. This bird inhabits the rocks and caverns of the sea-shorein Sumatra and Java. The plant called fucus, which abounds inthese regions, is metamorphosed in the birds stomach, and is, after-wards disgorged and made use of to fabricate the walls of its fucus thus devoured forms the nutritive substance so eagerlysought after by the Eastern gourmet. The consumption of the nest ^lO REPTILES AND BIRDS. of the Esculent or Salagane in China, in spite of its high price, isvery considerable. From the days of Bufifon there have been exportedfrom the coast of Cochin China 4,000,000 of them annually; andthe proprietors of one cavern in the island of Java receive annually50,000 florins for rent alone. The distinctive features ofthe Goatsuckers (Caprwtulgus) 2Jt a. Fig. 223.—Alpine Swift. short, much-depressed bill; the body small in proportion to theplumage ] the neck short; the head large, broad, and depressed;the eyes very large and broad; the feet very small; tarsi partiallyfeathered j toes four, the lower surface broad and flattened, theanterior toes connected by basal membranes; claws moderate, arched,and compressed. The plumage is full, soft, downy, and blended,like the owls; the wings have the second and third quills longest;tail long and rounded. Almost all the species have strong bristles GOATSUCKERS. 511 around the base of the upper mandible, and some have the feathersof the face radiated, Hke those of the owls. The Goatsuckers are not sociable birds, living generally in pairs,sleeping during the day, issuing from their nest with the setting sun,or possibly earlier in gloomy weather, to chase the crepuscular and
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectrep
