ALBINOISM IN FISHES. 



» 



Museum op Wesleyan University, ) 



Middletown, Conn., May 11th, 1875. J 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



A remarkable specimen of the haddock {Melanogrammus aeglefinus) 

 was shown me last Saturday by my friend Mr. Blackford, of Fulton Mar- 

 ket. Your readers are many of them familiar with the appearance of 

 this fi6h, with its uniform hue of brownish gray, slightly darker upon 

 the back; the heavy black stripe which covers the scales of the lateral 

 line, and the dark blotches behind and above the pectoral fins which 

 mark the spots, we are told, pressed by the fingers of Simon Peter, the 

 disciple fisherman, when he took the tribute money from the fish's 

 mouth. Mr. Blackford's haddock is an albino, the only example in this 

 group of fishes which has ever been brought to my notice. The stripes 

 and blotches are absent, and the fish is uniformly a very light pink, the 

 back slightly darker and approaching a very light salmon color. The 

 scales have a pearly lustre. The fins are dull white tinged with rose 

 color, except the ventrals, which are a light salmon color. The eyes are 

 normal in color. This fish was taken off Barnegat, N. J., May 1st, by 

 the schooner White Cloud, of New London. Mr. Blackford has had it 

 forwarded to Washington for the use of the National Museum. 



Another curious case is that of an albino of the common eel {Anguilla 

 bostouiensis), sent to Professor Baird by Captain Elihu Potter, of Noank 

 Conn. Its color is a dull yellow of a light shade, approaching white on 

 the belly. According to M. Dareste, albinoism is not uncommon in the 

 European eels, and perhaps white eels may be more abundant with us 

 than is usually supposed. G. Brown Goode. 



