204 The Water-fowl Family 



Albinism is not uncommonly noticed among 

 the ducks, and albinos of many of the varieties 

 have at one time or another come under the 

 writer's observation. An interesting instance of 

 this was noticed several years ago ; in a brood of 

 young mergansers, two-thirds grown, there were 

 two perfectly white birds which were subsequently 

 secured. During the past fall a white teal was 

 seen on the marshes near Port Rowan, and a year 

 ago a white pintail was killed in the same locality. 

 Partial albinism is naturally more common than 

 complete, and there seem to be in all albinos cer- 

 tain parts that do not entirely lose the character 

 of their coloring, such as the feathers of the 

 speculum. Probably few albinos among our 

 water-fowl escape observation at one time or 

 another, and in more than one instance birds 

 marked in this unusual way have demonstrated 

 the fact that the migratory courses vary but little. 



