4 Bird -Lore 



discussion was an attribute of his youthful days, and the courtesy shown 

 in his intercourse with others in his maturer years was by no means lacking 

 in his youth. Always high-spirited, the consciousness of overability to do 

 seemed to be innate with him; and, both in my correspondence and con- 

 versations with him in those early days, I more than once had the impres- 

 sion that he was feeling his way, so to speak, as if not quite certain -exactly 



ELLIOTT COUES AT TWENTY-ONE 

 From a photograph in the possession of D. G. Elliot 



how far he could trust himself in the line of argument he had for the 

 moment adopted, or was himself seeking its weak points. Always a 

 courteous debater, and equally so in his youth as in his more experienced 

 manhood, he was very attractive in his student days, with his bright face, 

 pleasant manners, and love of fun such as appealed to those of his age, 

 but even in his college days or earlier the keen mind was as quick to 

 seize upon a vulnerable place in an argument and turn to profit a point 

 thus gained as in aftertimes when his large experience and ample knowl- 

 edge made him so formidable an antagonist. And yet, the boy showed 



