THE WHITE BLACKBERRY 333 



This whole matter is so simple, however, that 

 anyone can see the cause of this unusual white- 

 ness. All plant breeders realize that any quality 

 can be intensified to almost any extent by care- 

 ful and persistent selection. 



There is, of course, no other very plausible ex- 

 planation available of the origin of the anomalous 

 berry. White is not a favorite color either among 

 animals or among vegetables. Except in Arctic 

 regions it is very rare indeed to find an unpig- 

 mented animal or bird, and white fruits are al- 

 most equally unusual. 



In the case of animals and birds, it is not diffi- 

 cult to explain the avoidance of white furs and 

 feathers. A white bird, for example, is obviously 

 very conspicuous, and thus is much more open to 

 the attacks of its enemies than a bird of some 

 color that blends with its surroundings. So we 

 find that there is no small bird of the Northern 

 Hemisphere, with the single exception of the 

 snow bunting, which normally dresses wholly in 

 white. The exception in the case of the snow 

 bunting is obviously explained by the habits of 

 the bird itself. 



And even this bird assumes a brownish coat in 

 the summer. 



There are a few large waterfowl, notably the 

 pelican and certain herons that wear snowy white 



