64 BIRDS IN LONDON 



mystery to me where all the albinos occasion- 

 ally to be seen in the London bird markets 

 come from. I have seen half a dozen in the 

 hands of one large dealer, two at another 

 dealer's, and several single birds at other shops ; 

 altogether about sixteen or eighteen white daws 

 on sale at one time. 



One often hears of and occasionally sees a 

 white blackbird or other species in a wild state, 

 but these uncoloured specimens are rare ; they 

 are also dear to the collector (nobody knows 

 why), and as a rule are not long permitted to 

 enjoy existence. Besides, in nine cases out of 

 ten the abnormally white birds are not albinos. 

 They are probably mere ' sports,' like our 

 domestic white pigeons, fowls, and ducks, and 

 would doubtless be more common but for the 

 fact that their whiteness is a disadvantage to 

 them in their struggle for life. It is rather 

 curious to find that among wild birds those that 

 have a black plumage appear more subject to 

 loss of colour than others. Thus we find that, 

 of our small birds, whiteness is more common 

 in the blackbird than in any other species. 

 Within the last twelve to eighteen months I have 

 known of the existence of seven or eight white 



