294 
of every shade of color from dark purple to white; or in Polygala 
Sanguinea, in which we find the same gradual ‘change from a dark 
red. But such cases do not concern us, as it is often difficult to 
determine which is normal with them, color or the absence of it. 
The following list of “albino” plants is made from specimens 
collected during the last three years 
Vernonia Noveboracensis; Willd ; Richmond, S. I.,1876. 
Lappa officinalis, var major; not uncommon. 
Lobelia syphilitica, L.; in a limited locality, near Clove Lake, S. L., 
can be found every year and seems in a fair way to perpetuate 
itself. 
Epiphegus Virginiana, Bart.; a small clump near Four Corners, 
S. I., always comes up in the same spot each season. 
Verbena hastata, L.: Gifford’s, S. I.,1877. 
Asclepias incarnata, L.; generally produces a few white flowered 
plants each year in the Clove Lake Swamp, S. I. 
Trifolium pratense, L.; occars rarely. 
Brunella vulgaris, L.; A few scattered specimens may generally be 
obtained every year on §. I. 
Both Gentiana crinita, Froel, and Lobelia cardinalts, L.., have been 
reported to me as having produced at times albino forms, but I 
have never seen them personally. I have not included in this list Ver- 
bascum Blattaria, L.., as in some localities I have found the white 
variety almost as plentiful as the yellow. All the others mentioned, 
however, may be considered as true “albinos” and from them we 
may learn some curious facts, and open an interesting field of study. 
___ Now, in the first place, not only does the flower show the char. 
acteristic absence of color, but the leaves, stem, and, in fact, the 
entire plant, are invariably of a lighter green ; and if any red or pur- 
ple color should be normal to the stem (which is often the case) 
this also is of a lighter shade. Thus even the superficial appearance 
of the plant will strike the observer at once. Secondly, if we have 
under consideration a plant which commonly is known to have juice 
of an acrid or peculiar taste, this is generally more or less absent 
in the albino form, and sometimes is eliminated entirely. Darwin 
has noted this fact, and, in commenting upon it, says that honey 
bees evidently are aware of it, for they perforate the calyx and corolla 
of the white Aconitum Napellus, to get at the nectaries, but will 
not do so with the colored ones, For this reason, perhaps, we bleach 
celery and rhubarb: to get rid of their strong flavor: in both cases 
the loss of the strong taste is accompanied by the absence of color. 
It has often been urged that these albinos are mere “ sports” of 
Nature, with nothing constant about them; their peculiarities due, 
often, to growing in the shade, &c. In fact, that it is a condition due 
to bleaching or insufficient sunlight, and that there is nothing of it 
inherent in the constitution of the plant. Fortunately I have been 
able to test this. In the case of Lobelia syphititica, I first found the 
plants in the shade of some rather thick underbrush, in the month of 
September. This growth was cut down the following spring, and the 
place opened to the full glare of the sun. This was done three years 
ago, yet, every autumn since, these plants have either reappeared, or 
