94 Figgins, Races of Branta canadensis. [j " n 



on September 19, 1918, my wife called my attention to an albino of this 

 bird at our gate and upon my seeing it I went for my gun to procure it, 

 as it was the first perfect albino, of a Mockingbird, I had ever seen alive 

 in my life. Just as soon as the bird observed my intentions, it at once 

 became exceedingly shy and although I followed it until long after sunset 

 I could not even get within range of it at any time. I, however, saw it go 

 to roost in a thick live oak tree in our yard among about eight or ten more 

 birds of the same species; I then set the alarm clock to go off before sunrise 

 hoping to secure it in the morning, which I did, shooting it from one of our 

 fig trees. The specimen is a young male of the year which was undoubtedly 

 raised in our yard, but escaped my notice. It is entirely white with an 

 ashy tinge to all the feathers, and was in moult, the new feathers being pure 

 white. 



I have invariably found albinos or albinistic specimens of birds exceed- 

 ingly shy, this is not because the desire of possession is very keen with the 

 collector, but because albinos are naturally shy. This is the first Mocking- 

 bird I have shot since 1879 or 1880, when I collected several for my late 

 friend Dr. Gabriel E. Manigault, to form a group representing Audubon's 

 plate for the Charleston College Museum. 

 Mt. Pleasant, S. C. 



THE STATUS OF THE SUBSPECIFIC RACES OF 

 BRANTA CANADENSIS. 



BY J. D. FIGGINS. 



The need of specimens of Branta canadensis hutchinsi and Branta 

 c. occidentalis recently prompted a critical examination of nearly 

 forty specimens of this genus; and while it was not productive of 

 an example that was not more obviously referable to true cana- 

 densis, it was of interest because of its exciting a doubt concerning 

 the validity of the above subspecific forms. Several of the speci- 

 mens reveal one or more measurements that are credited to one or 

 the other of the varieties, but the length of the wing or culmen 

 invariably places them well above the limits of either. Besides, 

 it was noted that the color and markings that are supposed to 

 characterize occidentalis occur in unmistakable canadensis with 

 disconcerting frequency. 



