ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY HCLLETIN. 



477 



ALBINO COYOTE. 



M'.irds .ilhinisni, wliioli arc almost as intt-rcstiiin' 

 as tile fulh--\vhito individuals. 



Albinism amonj; siiakts is not ran-. I'rom 

 observations of a great number of litters of va- 

 rious species, the striped snake {Eutaenia xir- 

 talis). shows the most common tendency in this 

 direction. In a litter of forty-four specimens 

 born in the Reptile House there were three per- 

 fect albino examples. They were yellowish- 

 white, with pink eyes. For some time after 

 birth these specimens were so translucent that 

 when held to the light the internal organs could 

 easily be traced and the heart could be seen 

 beating. 



A fully-matured albino striped snake was re- 

 cently brought to the Reptile House by a boy, 

 who had captured it as the rejjtile was crossing 

 Jerome Avenue, in the Borough of the Bronx. 

 This specimen had evidently been living in an 

 isolated patch of woods, and had been seized with 

 a wandering tendency often evinced by snakes. 

 It was of a pale cream color, with pink eyes. 

 The familiar ))attern of the species could be 

 faintly traced when the reptile was held in a 

 bright light. The skin of this specimen was so 



translucent that after a frog had been eaten, its 

 ])resenec was indicated by a distinct dark patch 

 on the otherwise spotless skin of the reptile. 



An albino diamond-back terrapin, {Malaco- 

 clrmmi/s palustris}. is one of the most curious 

 reptiles ever exhibited in the Park. In this in- 

 stance albinism is not exhibited to the perfect 

 degree as in the snakes described. Instead of 

 the usual dark, olivaceous shell, the hue is a 

 bright yellow, becoming reddish on the border. 

 Tile head and legs are almost white, and faintly 

 spotted, but the eyes are not pink, as with most 

 ])ronounced albinos. 



A tendency toward albinism among reptiles 

 soni( times results in startling combinations, A 

 Florida striped snake was once received that 

 exhibited a uniform coat of fiery brick-red. 

 To add to its unusual aspect, this reptile pos- 

 sessed a white tongue, which when in plav' im- 

 parted the effect of the snake ejecting a pale 

 Huid from the mouth. 



Our albino mammals are interesting from the 

 f.ict of their being snowj'-white, with limpid 

 pink eyes. The white coj'ote represents a most 

 unusual phase among wolves. Owing to his be- 



