*bird's-nest*

{ or } n. 1. The nest in which a bird lays eggs and hatches her young. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Cookery) The nest of a small swallow (Collocalia nidifica and several allied species), of China and the neighboring countries, which is mixed with soups. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The nests are found in caverns and fissures of cliffs on rocky coasts, and are composed in part of algæ. They are of the size of a goose egg, and in substance resemble isinglass. See Illust. under Edible. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Bot.) An orchideous plant with matted roots, of the genus Neottia (Neottia nidus-avis). [ 1913 Webster ]

Bird's-nest pudding, a pudding containing apples whose cores have been replaced by sugar. --
Yellow bird's nest, a plant, the Monotropa hypopitys. [ 1913 Webster ]