94 NOTES FROM THE PRAIRIE 



for after enduring it for some time, the jay 

 would fly off its nest in a rage, and, with the 

 evident intention of impaling Mr. Wren with 

 his bill, strike down vengefully and — find his 

 bill fast in the bark, while his enemy was 

 somewhere else, squeaking - in derision. They 

 kept that up day after day, but the wren is too 

 lively to be caught by a large bird. 



"I have never had the opportunity to dis- 

 cover whether there was any difference in the 

 dispositions of birds of the same species; it 

 would take a very close and extended observa- 

 tion to determine that; but I do know there is 

 as much difference between animals as between 

 human beings m that respect. Horses, cats, 

 dogs, squirrels, — all have their own individ- 

 uality. I have had five gray squirrels for 

 pets, and even their features were unlike. 

 Fred and Sally were mates, who were kept shut 

 up in their cages all the time. Fred was won- 

 derfully brave, would strut and scold until 

 there was something to be afraid of, then would 

 crouch down behind Sally and let her defend 

 him, the sneak! He abused her shamefully, 

 but she never resented it. Being the larger, 

 she could have whipped him and not half 

 tried; but she probably labored under the 

 impression, which is shared by some people^ 

 that it is a wife's duty to submit to whatever 

 abuse the husband chooses to inflict. Their 

 characters reminded me so stro'ngly of some 

 people I have seen that I used to take Fred out 

 and whip him regularly, as a sort of vicarioua 



