on Melanism and Albinism in Birds. 245


concentrated upon one part of the plumage, but generally

distributed.


I purchased two pairs of Zenaida aurita in May 1898 ; one

hen of which (in spite of the incessant quarrels for which this

troublesome dove is notorious) is still in good health. For

several years I kept the Martinican doves with white Barbary

doves in an outdoor aviary; but after the death of the second

cock bird during the past winter, the solitary hen was so hunted

from pillar to post that I brought her indoors, placing her in one

of my covered aviaries in which were several white doves ; the

latter and a Necklaced Dove carried on the persecution until

every feather had been removed from the lower back and rump of

the Zenaida : these have now all been replaced by black feathers.


Melanism is not found in the species of Pyromelana , and

one or two other Weavers, in a wild state, because they do

not live to the same age as they do when watched over by

experienced aviculturists : with albinism however the case is

different. Quelea russi which is an albinistic form of Q. quelea is

common both wild and in captivity; but then it is the product

of delicacy of constitution, and may result both from inbreed¬

ing and the decline of strength due to senility.


In my article in ‘The Ibis’ for 1897—“ On changes of

plumage in some of the typical Weaver-birds ” pp. 359-361, I

recorded the fact that a Red-billed Weaver purchased in 1888

assumed the colouring of Russ’ Weaver in 1896, and died in that

plumage the year following. This j^ear I have a second and

even more interesting instance in one of my aviaries, a male

Quelea quelea having developed an intermediate plumage, in

which the cheeks alone remain black, whereas a second example

in the same aviary and purchased at the same time, retains the

full black mask of the Red-billed Weaver. If food had anything

to do with the change, both males ought to have been similarly

affected.



