VARIATION OF COLOUR IN ANIMALS. 



Popular opinion has long attached an artificial value to the 

 occasional appearance of individual birds or beasts presenting 

 such a marked variation of colour, or negation of colour, as to 

 Mammals, justify criticism. Instances of leucotism occurring among our 

 Mammalia are tolerably numerous. Moles perhaps exhibit 

 white and buff phases more frequently than any other Lake- 

 land Mammals. Ben Batey, a border mole-trapper, tells me 

 that ' a breed ' of white Moles has existed in a certain field 

 near Barron Wood ever since he can remember. The only 

 white Bat that is known to have occurred in Lakeland fre- 

 quented the ' Nunnery ; ' this was probably a Pipistrelle. No 

 white Otters or Badgers have ever been killed in Lakeland. 

 Such ' white ' Foxes as I have traced out were merely light- 

 coloured examples. Leucotism is fairly common among the 

 Kodents. The Carlisle Patriot of August 13, 1839 refers to a 

 ' beautiful White Hare,' which had ' for some time been seen 

 in the park in front of Lowther Castle.' This animal was 

 unfortunately killed with a scythe. Its deficiency of pigment 

 recurred in one of its descendants. The Carlisle Patriot of 

 July 15, 1842 mentions that a second white Hare had appeared 

 at Lowther : * It is a fine full-grown Leveret and perfectly white.' 

 Nor are pied Hares entirely unheard of. In November 1884 

 a prettily-pied Leveret was killed in East Cumberland. It was 

 a red Hare, but the forehead, muzzle, the sides of the head, the 

 two forepaws and one hindpaw were all pure white. Of the smaller 

 Mammals, it may suffice to say a piebald race of Short-tailed 

 Voles frequented a field near Carlisle within the memory of 

 Mr. William Duckworth. I have seen very similar examples, 

 stated to have been taken in Northumberland. White Weasels 



