Show salivary secretion of swifts used for soup birds nest soup one ot the world s costliest delicacies Is obtain ab e only at risk of life and limb says a writer in tit bits magazine most of it comes from sarawak where in the thel vist vast gloomy and haunting limestone canes studded with stalactites and stalagmites mites at the head of the niah nish river the swifts that manufacture this epicurean fancy dwell in thou binds amid colonies of bits and cock roaches the edible birds nests lie on tiny shelves and ledges situated in the highest and most inaccessible parts of the caves eaves and are made of a salivary secret secretion lon produced during the nesting season the actual birds nesting Is per formed by chinese and malay who hire the caves eaves from the government for the nesting season at a rental of these men fearless and agile swarm up feet met bamboo ropes carrying candles in their caps to shed light and working perilously across the belling dislodge the nests with a spade like stick As the ground belo lov v Is soft with guano deposits the nests are not damaged the ropes made of bamboo rods lashed together are left standing from season to sea son interlacing the caverns like ders threads |