THE oCLOGIST 



I have wondered what would be the 

 results to the advantage of ornithology 

 if the facts locked or hidden in the 

 thousands of cabinets in this country 

 were carefully studied out by the own- 

 ers. Suppose that the note-books of 

 the thousands of (;ollectors in different 

 parts of North America should be stud- 

 iously re-written in intelligible language 

 and placed at the disposal of the leaders 

 of ihe science, or that the facts of oolo- 

 gy now lying dormi,nt should be vivified 

 and sent to the editors of the leading 

 oological journals for use at their dis- 

 cretion and selection. What a wonder- 

 ful impulse would be given to the pro- 

 gress of ornithology, and what a store- 

 house would be opened to supply the 

 needs of the most yearning student of 

 ornithology ! Yet of the thousands who 

 have well-tilled cabinets and hastily- 

 written note-books, how few there are 

 who are really more than collectors of 

 empty shells and cotton-filled skins, 

 and who never aim to contribute any- 

 thing whatever to the knowledge of the 

 race. Let us hear from you. 



P. M. SiLLOAVAY, 



Roodhouse, 111. 



Albinism ia Birds. 



Albinism in birds is an unnatural con- 

 dition of the plumage, resulting from 

 an absence of coloring matter in the 

 skin . This much we know and scarcely 

 anything more. The primary cause 

 and why some species of birds are more 

 subject to it than others we ha,ve yet to 

 learn. 



The wisdom of classing all so called 

 "abnormalties" as well as many odd 

 and unusual color-variations of plum- 

 age, as -'freaks of Nature" is, to say the 

 least, questionable; for Nature will 

 doubtless continue to further her de- 

 signs, with which these differentations 

 of so frequent and constant an occur- 

 ance may have some connection. 



Observations have proven that when 



the albinistic condition of plumage 

 exists on one nestling, it is usual for the 

 remainder of the brood to be similiarly 

 affected. In connection with this other 

 question naturally arise: What pecul- 

 iarities exist in the organization of the 

 parent birds? And is it the imperfect 

 development of one or both sexes? 



For some unaccountable reason or a 

 combination of circumstances, the past 

 season of 95 has produced a large num- 

 ber of anomalous objects in the state of 

 Nature. From an ornithological stand- 

 point we have had a number of abnorm- 

 ally large and small eggs, and frequent 

 cases of albinism have been reported. 

 Of the latter the most authentic instanc- 

 es are those of the American Crow and of 

 that little pest, the European House 

 (English) Sparrow. 



Of the former species I can say little, 

 for true to his cunning nature he and 

 his twin brothers are still at large; but 

 of the latter I shall relate all I have 

 been able to learn as I think it is a sub- 

 ject of interest to all. 



Throughout the summer frequent re- 

 ports were made of pure white Spar- 

 rows in various flocks in different parts 

 of the village. On the 31st of August a 

 small boy informed me of one rescued 

 by him, from the family cat, and further- 

 more of its general good health and 

 beauty (with the exception of its tail of 

 which it stood in some need, unless it 

 could grow a new one.) Unfortunately 

 I lacked the opportunity to go for this 

 prodigy at once, and learned a few days 

 later that through an unfortunate acci- 

 dent the bird again fell into the cat's 

 clutches and this time it had apparently 

 gone the way of its tail feathers. 



However I was not to be disappointed 

 for a gentleman stopping in another 

 part of the town, generously tendered 

 me another albino, which he had cap- 

 tured alive on the 4th of September. 

 He informed me that this Sparrow was 

 discovered by him, flitting about the 

 yard from tree to tree. It seemed to be 



