THE COLOURS OF PARTRIDGES 61 
appeared to be quite white, but on closer inspection 
the brown markings on the plumage were faintly 
traceable under the white, the birds having the ap- 
pearance of having been washed over with a thin 
coating of white paint. The markings were stronger 
in the bird shot on October 15 than in that shot on 
October 3. The legs of both were of a lighter colour 
than those of the ordinary brown bird, and the eyes 
were of a bright red colour.’ By a curious co- 
incidence, no fewer than e/even white partridges were 
hatched on a property near Croydon in the summer of 
1881, five being hatched in one nest, a single bird in 
another, two in a third, and three in a fourth. Ten of 
the number were reared to maturity, when nine of them 
were shot. Mr. P. Crowley examined one of the nine 
the morning after it had been shot, and found the legs 
of a dirty straw colour, and the eyes a pale grey-blue 
with no distinct pupil. An interesting question is sug- 
gested, as to how far the characters of albinism or leu- 
cotism are liable to become hereditary. Unfortunately, 
very few albinos or leucotic individuals live long enough 
to give naturalists an opportunity of investigating the 
characters transmitted to their descendants. There 
cannot, however, be the least doubt that heredity 
plays an important part in these matters, at least so 
far as passerine birds are concerned ; we believe that 
