RIDGWAY ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 65 



among themselves as well as with regularly colored individuals, 

 and I was always successful, although I never obtained spotted 

 ones, always only one colored specimens, either entirely white or 

 Isabella-color. 



" The young ones of these breeds also propagated among 

 themselves." 



Another authority* says, " in the same family several children 

 are sometimes born albinos. They are generally of the male sex. 

 An instance is recorded of a Welsh family, in which every alter- 

 nate child was an albino. It is stated by Esquirol that two albinos 

 married and had two children which were not albinos, but of quite 

 brown color. It is not understood to what ultimate cause the phen- 

 omenon is to be attributed." 



I can recall but three cases of this kind among North Ameri- 

 can Birds. The first is recorded by my friend Mr. R. Deanef as 

 follows: " Another interesting example is that of a voung Robin 

 {Merula migratorid), milk-white, still unable to leave the nest. 

 This specimen was taken at Saybrook, Conn., by Mr. H. A. Pur- 

 die, who informs me that the parent birds were in normal dress." 



The other two cases were reported to me by Mr. Robert Ridgway 

 {in epist.), as follows: " Two instances have come to my knowledge 

 however, of all (four) specimens of a brood of young Robins 

 (Merula migratorid) being perfect albinos (pink eyes and all), the 

 parents being in normal plumage. These two cases occurred in the 

 same locality (Laurel, Md.), on consecutive years (18S5 and 1886), 

 but whether the parents were in both cases the same pair I am not 

 sure; but I believe they were not." 



From a careful perusal of the foregoing it will be seen that 

 heredity is by no means a necessary adjunct to albinism. 



It will also be noticed that while Dr. Van Harlingen says that 

 the females are most likely to be affected the authority of the Cyclo- 

 pedia says they are generally of the male sex. 



I have recently examined a large number of albinos and have 

 a few records. Out of over two hundred specimens only eighty- 

 one had any record of the sex attached or at all obtainable. Of this 

 number forty-four, or fifty-four and one-third (54^) per cent, were 

 males and thirty-seven, or forty-five and two-thirds (455/3) per cent, 

 were females. This shows the predominance of the sexes, in birds 



♦American Cyclopaedia, Vol. I, pp. 253 & 254. 

 tBull. Nutt. Orn. Club, Vol. I, 1876, p. 23. 



