BIRD 
NOTES 
BY 
FRANK FINN, 
B.A., F.Z.5S., M.B.O.U, 
Photograph by D. Le Souef, Melbourne. 
ALBINO WIEDGHE-TAILED EAGLE, 
EVERYONE knows that albinism, more or less complete, is not at all an unusual 
i phenomenon in the bird world; but it is not so familiar in some 
parc Dino eroups as it is in others. Thus albinistic specimens of birds of prey 
ave decidedly rare, although black varieties of these birds are not at 
all uncommon. So the white Wedge-tailed Kagle (Uroaétus audax) illustrated here is a 
very noteworthy bird. The ordinary colour of this species, which is usually on view 
at the london Zoological Gardens, is dark brown ; 
it inhabits Australia, where also occurs a very remark- 
able Goshawk (Astur nove-hollandie), which is always 
white when adult, though brown on the upper ~~ 
plumage when young. No doubt in the latter case the 
albinism has proved to be hereditary. 
At the opposite extreme to the powerfully-flying 
birds of prey are the flightless members of the ostrich 
order, and these also are little subject to albinism. 
White-splashed varieties of the true ostrich have, 
however, been seen, and the Rhea, the so-called ostrich 
of South America (Rhea americana) 1s exceptional in 
not unfrequently producing a white form. he bird 
in the photograph was exhibited in the Jondon 
Zoological Gardens, and Molina, writing considerably 
more than a hundred years ago, mentions white (and 
also black) rheas as occurring in Chill. The ordinary 
colour of the rhea is grey, and as its feathers have 
some value at present, the birds being periodically 
driven in and plucked on some estates in Argentina, 
it would be worth while to attempt to breed the 
white form, as white feathers always command a 
higher price than coloured ones. 
The Aylesbury Duck is a good example of an 
albino form which is now a permanent breed, especially 
cultivated about the village from which it takes its 
name. It is, of course, like all other domestic ducks COMMON RHEA (White Variety). 
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