54 THE HUMAN SIDE OF BIRDS 



ledge near a stream of running water, or in the forks 

 of a low tree. This home is very substantially built 

 of grasses, roots, sticks, with a slanting, flat-topped 

 roof. 



The interior is lined and decorated in red clay, 

 and there is a small entrance at the side which 

 leads into the main hall, A number of various 

 kinds of bone specimens are always found within 

 this student's home, but evidently they are not 

 there for study purposes even though he does look 

 somewhat like a student and a philosopher. As 

 an architect he ranks among the best. His living- 

 room is beautifully formed, and is divided into a 

 living-room and a nursery. This makes three dis- 

 tinct rooms in all, if we count the hallway. He 

 also shows his artistic ability by the manner in 

 which he decorates the outside of his home with 

 trinkets and ornaments. 



He is a very peculiar being in his dress of brown, 

 trimmed in a purplish sheen; the head-dress is so 

 arranged that it looks like a hammer — ^thus his 

 name. And withal his ways are quite as odd as his 

 appearance. In speaking of him, M. Oustalet said: 

 "He may be observed for hours at a time walking 

 upon the river-bank like a peripatetic philosopher. 

 Marching solemnly along with shoulders humped, 

 and gazing earnestly upon the ground, he appears 



