1913] The Ottawa Naturalist 127 



litters of this blue variety of the Arctic fox there frequently 

 occur pure white specimens, but a whole litter of white cubs 

 has not been recorded. Some interesting figures in a recent 

 report of the Conservation Commission may be here referred to. 

 Thus on St. George Island (Pribyloff Islands), in a total of 

 772 so-called blue foxes killed in 1897, no less than 40 were 

 white. In 1898, 18 were white in a total of 885 foxes, but in 

 1903 only 15 were white, out of 1,061 foxes taken, and in 1907-8, 

 out of a total of 1,005 only 8 w r ere white, indeed, only 3 were 

 pure white, the others were bluish white. These pale or white 

 specimens are not valued, and every effort is made to exterminate 

 them and prevent the increase of a white variety. The ordinary 

 variety of dirty brownish colored Arctic fox, which turns pure 

 snow T -white in winter, though recently fashionable, was not 

 many vears ago regarded with contempt by fur dealers, and 

 Indian trappers were usually "called down" severely for taking 

 the trouble to bring such little-valued pelts to Edmonton and 

 other fur-receiving centres in the North-w r est. 



White deer, like white house-sparrows, have not unfre- 

 quently been reported, but whether such are true albinos with 

 pink eyes is not recorded. A red deer of almost snowy white- 

 ness was reported up the Gatineau region some years ago. A 

 white form of the Scottish red deer has been established as a 

 distinct variety, and in Welbeck Park, Langley Park, near 

 Slough, Windsor, and Woburn Castle, in England, there are 

 herds of cream-colored or white deer, believed to be originallv 

 of German origin, though the Duke of Portland has regarded 

 them as a Danish variety. It is interesting to note that a cream y 

 or white colored variety of the black bear was discovered not 

 many years since in British Columbia, north of Rivers Inlet, 

 and at the head- waters of the Skeena River and at other points. 

 This small bear has been called "Ursus Kermodei" by Hornaday, 

 who first described it. 



The whole subject of albinism is deserving of investigation, 

 but it may be clearly stated that white animals, whose eyes are 

 dark, or the tips of the ears, the tail, tip of the nose, etc., are 

 black, are really not albinos, for albinism in mammals involves 

 pink eyes, pink nose, and a general absence of pigment. 



MEETING OF THE BOTANICAL BRANCH. 



November 8th, 1913, at the residence of Mr. R. B. Whvte. 

 Owing to the rainy weather only a small number of members 

 were present. 



