168 



THE OOLOGIST 



volume of offensive ego which "leers" 

 at us, in its self appointed leadership, 

 through every act, movement, and pub- 

 lication, of its director, whose ideally 

 artistic temperment sees nothing but 

 "1." That Mr. Dawson is so pre- 

 occupied by self contemplation and 

 self exploitation as to have neither 

 time nor patience to proof read his 

 own outstanding fault, is no reason 

 why he should so continuously inflict 

 it upon the other Oologists of the coun- 

 try — not even on the "office boy." 



R. M. Barnes. 



THE HISTORY OF ROBIN SNOW- 

 BALL—AN ALBINO 



During the last week of May 1922, a 

 lady living in Henry, seven miles from 

 my home in Lacon, Illinois, hearing a 

 commotion in her yard, glanced out of 

 the window and saw a white baby 

 Robin, on the lawn, fluttering its little 

 wings and opening its mouth at every 

 bird that went near it. 



The little fellow was too young to be 

 able to fly, apparently very hungry, 

 and seemingly deserted by its parents, 

 for an observation extending over a 

 considerable time disclosed, no bird 

 paying any attention to this ghost-like 

 Robin. 



Being of a kind heart, and fearing 

 the conspicuous plumage of the help- 

 less youngster would result in his 

 destruction by boys or cats, she took 

 him into the house and put him in a 

 cage. The little fellow responded to 

 kindness and feed, becoming very 

 tame, taking most of his sustenance 

 from her hand and when big enough, 

 flying over the house in following her 

 from room to room, perched on her 

 shoulder frequently. Later he was 

 moved into a larger out door cage and 

 on July 22nd, was given to me and 

 brought to my home in Lacon. Here, 

 a cage three feet wide and four feet 



long, and four feet high was built for 

 him, and placed under a tree on the 

 lawn. During the summer he was an 

 object of much interest and curiosity 

 to visitors and grew to be a normal 

 Robin in every respect except color, 

 though for some reason while out 

 doors, he always maintained a dirty 

 appearance. 



During my absence in August, the 

 little rascal slipped out of the door of 

 his cage as it was opened one day to 

 put in the feed and, quick as a flash 

 he was gone. He remained at large 

 until the afternoon of the next day, 

 about thirty-six hours, when he quiet- 

 ly permitted one of the family to pick 

 him up and transfer him again to his 

 cage quarters in which he appeared 

 thoroughly satisfied and glad to get 

 back. 



About the first of October 1 moved 

 the now adult bird into the house and 

 turned him loose in a conservatory 

 with glass sides and top 9 by 18 feet 

 in which there are many dozen plants 

 of all kind, and began feeding him 

 prepared bird food such as is found 

 in the bird stores for soft-billed birds, 

 the result was magical. Robin Snow- 

 ball immediately took to bathing once 

 or twice a day, something he had de- 

 clined to do while out in the yard ex- 

 cept in very rare instances, which 

 without doubt accounted for his dirty 

 ill kept appearance. His feathers at 

 once cleared up and the entire bird ex- 

 cept the bill, legs and feet, is of ab- 

 solutely snowy whiteness. The eyes 

 are a perfect bright pink, rather large 

 for a Robin. The bill, a very light 

 ivory, and the feet and legs pinkish 

 white with light yellow claws. Appar- 

 ently this bird is perfectly normal in 

 every way, and well satisfied with his 

 quarters. It is very tame, eats from 

 the hand, will come at call, and sel- 

 dom, almost never ventured out of the 

 conservatory, though large double 

 doors continually open lead into the 



