82 F, Finn — Abrupt Variation in Indian Birds. [No. I, 



into the normal plumage, remaining for some time white with normal^ 

 wings and tail, like the present bird. It is now in a very peculiar con- 

 dition, being only scantily covered with feathers, some white and some 

 normal. It has for a companion a normally-coloured bird, which, as I 

 can personally testify, was once white, though not so completely so. 



Another case of albinism of unusual interest is furnished by the 

 white-headed form of the Ruff (Pavoncella jpngnax), which is appar- 

 ently not uncommon, at all events in Eastern specimens of this bird. 

 Though the male is so well known to be exceedingly variable when in 

 summer plumage, it is as constant in colour during the winter as other 

 birds. Yet every now and then there appears a specimen in winter 

 plumage with the head and neck more or less white, varying from 

 complete whiteness of these parts to merely a white nape and 

 unusually white fore-neck. All of the birds thus characterized are 

 adults, as is shown by their orange or flesh-coloured feet (these being 

 olive in the young) ; and the females or Reeves are thus affected as well 

 as the Ruffs, but far more rarely and to a less extent. 



In the stuffed pair figured in Plate III., which are part of the 

 Asiatic Society's collection, and were procured by Blyth during the 

 years 1842-1846, the whole head and neck are white with the exception 

 of the crown, which is mostly normal, and of some scattered brown 

 feathers on the neck. They a.re numbered 160 IB (the female) and 

 1601K (the male). 



In a skin (2340 in the Museum Register) procured on in the 

 Calcutta Bazaar, February 19th, 1875 evidently a male from the dimen- 

 sions, the whole head, neck and upper breast are white, there are a few 

 white feathers on the upper back, and the coverts along the fore-arm 

 and carpus are partly white. This is figured in the plate, together 

 with another male (Reg. No. 24005) obtained this winter (January 30th, 

 1902), which is even whiter, having more white feathers on the back 

 and fore-aim, and one tertiary white. In this the feet and base of bill 

 were flesh-coloured ; the eyes normal. 



Six more specimens of the variation have been obtained by me 

 in the Calcutta Bazaar during the present winter, all being adult males. 

 One (Reg. No. 24006) is whiter than either of those figured, having 

 the upper back largely white, as well as all the head and breast, but 

 no abnormal amount on the wings. 



The second whitest specimen, (Keg. No. 24007) procured on 

 February 2nd, has a white head and neck, with normally coloured 

 feathers round the face ; it had the feet and base of bill orange. 



Of the otheis, one, procured on February 16th (Reg. No. 24018) 

 closely resembles Blyth's male figured ; another, procured on February 



