An Albino Crow. — A rather unusual amount of comment and 

 excitement has followed the advent of an apparently pure white 

 specimen of Corinis a^iiericamis, which has been repeatedly observed 

 in that part of Chester Valley adjacent to the Valley Forge Hills, during 

 the past autumn and winter seasons. It associates with a goodly number 

 of its sable-coated brethren, all of whom are permanent residents ranging 

 this fertile valley, and are seldom molested by man. Strange as it may 

 appear, this solitary example of albinoism seems to enjoy the full con- 

 fidence of the flock, for it has been seen perched on the topmost branches 

 of an isolated tree in a field, actually doing duty as the sentinel ; its white 

 plumage and guttural crow voice, as it warned its feeding comrades of a 

 suspicious move and a possible danger in the road below, excited much 

 wonder in the party that was fortunate enough to be passing at the moment. 



This bird was first reported on July 4, 1895, an undoubted bird of the 

 year from a near by nest. At that time it was not notably wary, but has 

 since become so through the efforts of the " man with a gun ; " and an 

 ardent desire to reap a large pecuniary reward through a false notion of 

 the value of this odd plumaged bird after it has been riddled with shot, 

 has placed said man's persistence and woodcraft against the cunning and 

 acuteness of the Crow. May the latter win ! Until I hear of its demise, 

 I shall not despair of experiencing the unique pleasure of flushing it from 

 a nest of its own construction, in one of my spring collecting trips over 

 the Forge Hills. 



The above is only one of the many examples of the albinistic phase in 

 this species, other records are of not unfrequent occurence in our rural 

 press. I remember observing one in the midst of a flock that was feeding 

 close to the railroad track at Berwyn, during the winter of '78-79. In 

 Bulletin No. 5, another instance is cited by Mr. John A. Bryant, 

 Kansas City, Mo. In every case the albinos appear to enjoy the 

 complete confidence of their kind. That this is not the case in similar 

 occurences in which the English Sparrow figures, I am sure (see Oologist , 

 January, 1896). 



In view of the foregoing I cannot forbear reverting to one of the two 

 hypotheses which follows : That Corviis ajnei-icanus is color blind, or 

 that the average intelligence of this species is vastly greater in compari- 

 son to that of Passer doinestiCKS. — F. L. Burns, Berz^'y?i, Pcun. 



An Albino Blue Jay. — On January 3, 1894, about five miles from here 

 I saw a specimen of Blue Jay {Cyajiocitta cristata) almost pure white. 

 Contrasted with the snow on surrounding objects, a slight bluish cast 



