STORAGE OF CAROTENOIDS AND OF VITAMINS A 507 



(Lorius salvadorii), the blue and yellow macaw {Ara ararauna), the green 

 and yellow parrot of Guiana (Caica leucogaster) , the Australian lory (Domi- 

 cella garrula), and kindred species. These birds store lutein in the body fat 

 and egg yolk but not in the feathers. 



Volker^^^ noted the occurrence of astaxanthin in the red feathers of the 

 African shrike, or red-bellied butcher-bird (Lanarius atrococcineus) . Inas- 

 much as this bird feeds mainly on insects, Avhich have not been found to 

 contain astaxanthin, it may be assumed tentatively that the shrike can 

 transform other carotenoids into astaxanthin. 



Frank^^^ found miidentified "lipochrome" in a large number of birds, 

 and Lonnberg^^^ described the occurrence and importance of carotenoid 

 substances in the plumage, bill, feet, and skin of various avian species. 

 Volker^^" attributed the lipochrome in feathers mainly to the carotenoids in 

 the diet. Lutein alone was found in the yellow bunting {Emberiza icterica), 

 the gray wagtail {Motacilla cinerea), the yellow wagtail {M. flava), the wood- 

 warbler (PhyUoscopiis sibilatrix juv.), the blackhooded weaver (Ploceus 

 cucuUatus), the yellow-green warbler, wood-thrush, "kinglet" (Regulus 

 regulus), and the canary (Serinus canarius). Lutein, mainly and some 

 canaryxanthophyll, occurred in the yellowhammer {Emherizia citrinella), 

 the Old World oriole (Oriolus oriolus), the British blue titmouse (Parus 

 caeruleus) and the great titmouse (P. major). Canaryxanthophyll pre- 

 dominated over the lutein in the siskin, olive-green finch (Carduelis spinus), 

 and the green finch {Chloris chloris), while canary-xanthin alone occurred 

 in the European goldfinch {Carduelis carduelis), and in the wild canary 

 (Serinus canarius) . Lutein was associated with small amounts of canary- 

 xanthin and wdth a red decomposition product in the red feathers of the 

 fire-finch, or weaver (Pyromelana franciscana) , and of the red crossbill 

 (Loxia curvirostra pusilla). Only red decomposition products were ob- 

 served in the bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula). Picofulvin predominated in 

 the green feathers of the Central American w^oodpecker {Chloronerpes yu- 

 catensis), of the gray-headed woodpecker (Picus canus), and of the green 

 woodpecker (Picus viridis). Picofulvin was also fomid in the yellow feath- 

 ers of a woodpecker (Hypoxanthus rivolii), and in the black feathers of 

 the great black-spotted woodpecker (Dryohates major) . 



Vitamin A is widely distributed in the birds. Jensen and Withi'*^ re- 

 corded the presence of vitamin A in thirty-six species of birds. The highest 



587 O. Volker, Naturwissenschaften, 37, 309 (1950). 



588 F. Frank, /. /. Omithol, 87, 426-523 (1939). 



589 E. Lonnberg, The Occurrence and Importance of Carotenoid Substances in Birds, 

 Trans. Eighth Intern. Ornithol. Congress, Oxford, July, 1934, pp. 410-424. 



590 O. Volker, /. /. Ornithol, 82, 439-450 (1934). 



