142 SELECTING A SITE. 
stood a short distance from the log-huts, 
loosely built with poles, and shingled over to 
keep out the rain, in which our two black- 
smiths were always at work. Early on a sum- 
mer morning, towards the end of June, my 
attention was directed to two barn-swallows 
perched on the roof of the little shed. They did 
not exhibit the slightest fear or alarm, although 
the bellows snorted and wheezed, and sent my- 
riads of brilliant sparks from the crackling char- 
coal dancing into the air; whilst the hammer, 
plied by a lusty arm, rang a merry peal as it 
smote the ruddy iron. Presently off they flew, 
and circling round entered the house, and care- 
fully examined the poles supporting the roof. 
Perching on them here and there, they felt 
the surface with their beaks, then twittered in 
the most excited manner to each other. This 
system of selecting a site was repeated several 
times, until the question was evidently settled 
and decided upon. - 
The following day the foundation-stone was 
laid, a tiny bit of mud being affixed to the beam 
just over the anvil; and although the hammer 
constantly passed close to the birds and their 
building, still they went steadily on with their 
work. In about three days the nest began to 
