
NATURAL HISTORY MISCELLANY. 161 
perhaps a dozen years ago, but I know not whether his esos are 
published, except by a brief allusion in the Gardeners’ Chron He 
found, as did Mr. M illington, that while the bristles will close ca a bit 
of raw meat, they are not sensitive to an inorganic body; yet that they are 
So to a bit of carbonate of ammonia. Mr. Darwin followed up this subject 
by Some very interesting observations and experiments upon the Venus 
Fly-trap, Dionea, which, with some recent ones made in this country, 
may soon be published. — A. Gra 
FLOWERING OF HEPATICA TRILOBA. ‘— March 12th, I found three Hepa- 
ticas in blossom, and on March 29th, I gathered quite a handful.—J. H. 
Sears, Danvers, Muss. 

ZOOLOGY. 
INSTANCES OF EERTE AMONG OUR BIRDS. — In a recent number of 
e NATURALIST, a cor ent mentions a ‘Singular Variety” of the 
tial albinism which is, perhaps, not so rare among birds as it is generally 
Supposed to be. When we remember what an extremely small percent- 
r 
Tather is, that so many albinos are found. In the course of a few seasons 
iega I have met with the following instances of albinism, partial or 
mpl te. 
oriad ow-bird (Junco Oregonus). A specimen shot at Fort Whip- 
9 Arizona, Dec. 12, 1864, has a large, somewhat circular, pure white 
Spot on the io distinctly Gedned against the surrounding dark colors. 
The plumage is therwise perfe ctly AE. 
oe (Sint sialis). A curious specimen, with a ured white 
rt on the back of the neck; otherwise seh sy normal in plumage. 
I have seen this species oe snow-white, with (probably) pink eyes, 
4nd flesh-colored bill and fe 
th in (Turdus siigratorine). With a large white spot on each side of 
e head, formed y the enlargement and coalescence of the white spots 
konia Jend dued about the eyes. The robin also occurs in snow- 
plu 
Bank ai (Cotyle riparia). With the upper parts delicate pale sil- 
The erty the under parts pure white, as usual. This is the only instance 
inm Yellow-backed Warbler (Pariite Americana). This is, in some 
» the most curious example of partial albinism I have ever seen. 
beetrring in a a family of birds little liable to this abnormity. The entire 
Wakes age is ana and patched aira Pelee! the natural colors appearing 
Paces between the white a 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. 1. 

