sesinLincolnnearestthepond,Mr.GilianBaker’s.WhenIcalledtoseeherinJune,1842,shewasgonea-huntinginthewoods,aswasherwont,(Iamnotsurewhetheritwasamaleorfemale,andsousethemorecommonpronoun,)buthermistresstoldmethatshecameintotheneighborhoodalittlemorethanayearbefore,inApril,andwasfinallytakenintotheirhousethatshewasofadarkbrownish-graycolor,withawhitespotonherthroat,andwhitefeet,andhadalargebushytaillikeafoxthatinthewinterthefurgrewthickandflattedoutalonghersides,formingstripestenortwelveincheslongbytwoandahalfwide,andunderherchinlikeamuff,theuppersideloose,theundermattedlikefelt,andinthespringtheseappendagesdroppedoff.Theygavemeapairofher“wings,”whichIkeepstill.Thereisnoappearanceofamembraneaboutthem.Somethoughtitwaspartflying-squirrelorsomeotherwildanimal,whichisnotimpossible,for,accordingtonaturalists,prolifichybridshavebeenproducedbytheunionofthemartenanddomesticcat.Thiswouldhavebeentherightkindofcatformetokeep,ifIhadkeptanyforwhyshouldnotapoet’scatbewingedaswellashishorse?
Inthefalltheloon(Colymbusglacialis)came,asusual,tomoultandbatheinthepond,makingthewoodsringwithhiswildlaughterbeforeIhadrisen.AtrumorofhisarrivalalltheMill-damsportsmenareonthealert,ingigsandonfoot,twobytwoandthreebythree,withpatentriflesandconicalballsandspy-glasses.Theycomerustlingthroughthewoodslikeautumnleaves,atleasttenmentooneloon.Somestationthemselvesonthissideofthepond,someonthat,forthepoorbirdcannotbeomnipresentifhediveherehemustcomeupthere.ButnowthekindOctoberwindrises,rustlingtheleavesandripplingthesurfaceofthewater,sothatnolooncanbeheardorseen,thoughhisfoessweepthepondwithspy-glasses,andmakethewoodsresoundwiththeirdischarges.Thewavesgenerouslyriseanddashangrily,takingsideswithallwater-fowl,andoursportsmenmustbeataretreattotownandshopandunfinishedjobs.Buttheyweretoooftensuccessful.WhenIwenttogetapailofwaterearlyinthemorningIfrequentlysawthisstatelybirdsailingoutofmycovewithinafewrods.IfIendeavoredtoovertakehiminaboat,inordertoseehowhewouldman?uvre,hewoulddiveandbecompletelylost,sothatIdidnotdiscoverhimagain,sometimes,tillthelatterpartoftheday.ButIwasmorethanamatchforhimont