
          218.

of birds, playing high in the tree tops attracted my
attention.  They seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.
Although I watched them for some time none approached
close enough, to get a good description.  They would climb
about the trunk of the tree, clinging to the bark, and
seemed to peck at <s>the</s> it.  The underside of the little fellows
was gray, the upper part of the body blue, being darker near 
the head and throat.  Occassionally one would fly, and have
its body illuminated by the sun, at such time there would
be a flash of blue.  I would have been glad to have watched
them longer, but they must have become aware of our
presence for they soon flitted farther and farther away and 
were lost from sight.  We now went to the house. [hut]
As soon as fire was started we began our work.
By 12 o'clock we had the roof finished.  First, we put on pieces of
tin; afterwards covering with large pieces of bark.  It did
not take us long to learn how to bark old trunks.  Our
trouble had been in not cutting deep enough.  We now
were able to get large pieces four and five feet long.
In taking the bark off some trees, a very sweet odor was
        