WOOD NOTES WILD. 107 



of wider experience was no less interesting in behavior. 

 For some moments she stood aloof in disgust ; then, with 

 more ruffle at her neck than was becoming, flew at the 

 General with all fury. The astonished soldier returned 

 several blows, then checking himself, held his head to 

 the ground, covered with confusion. The fair insulter 

 had no idea of quitting ; she continued the onslaught, 

 finally ending it with a series of smart picks square on 

 the lordly comb. The General "grinned and bore it," 

 and thus ended the ludicrous mistake, for a mistake it 

 was, the General fancying for an instant that he was 

 dealing with a foeman worthy of his spur. On discover- 

 ing his blunder, he was glad to suffer the most crushing 

 humiliation. 



The newcomer proved a lusty crower ; and after taking 

 his morning call several times, and finding it without 

 variation, I recorded him : — 



r i f nr 



But one day, at a late hour, when he was at large, I heard 

 him use very different intervals. Listening to the strange 

 version over and over again, I was much surprised and 

 perplexed ; for, if I had erred in his case, which was a 

 plain one, what might be my errors in intricate cases ! 

 I immediately changed the record to the new form, and 

 wrote in the margin, "Every man is a genius in going 

 wrong." But the next morning my ear caught the first 

 form again. The second, the same to the eye but very 

 unlike to the ear, was this : — 



