Another Black Robin. — While looking at the birds in an aviary in 

 Somerville, Mass., a few dajs since, I noticed an American Robin as dark 

 as a European Blackbird, for which I took it until the owner informed 

 me that it was our Robin taken from the nest, in tliis neighborhood, by 

 himself. He told me that Robins thus raised in confinement were often 

 thus colored. Is not the melanism to be connected with the peculiar con- 

 ditions to which the bird is exposed? The aviary is built like a green- 

 house, with one side (glass) sloping to the south. It has no artificial heat 

 therein, yet keeps southern birds (as Cardinal Grosbeaks) in good con- 

 dition. The Robins get no worms except those they may pick up in the 

 aviary. — Walter Faxon, Cambridge, Mas^jj^^ 3, Ajril, I88O1 P» ^S'Y ( 



Another Black Robin. — Some time ago I heard of a second 'Black 

 Robin,' and tried to find out the facts with regard to it; but failed to 

 get anything definite until to-day, when, by mere chance, I met the 

 owner of the abnormal bird and obtained from him the following facts 

 about it. The bird was taken from the nest here in Middletown while in 

 the ordinary first plumage, and for "two or three years" was like any other 

 caged Robin. The owner, Mr. H. S. Leonard, seemed principally struck with 

 the tremendous appetite of the bird, which he assured me ate "as much 

 as a goose" every day. Gradually the plumage became somewhat varie- 

 gated with black and white, the black predominating above, though Mr. 

 Leonard thinks the bird became ultimately almost white. 



There was no return to the normal plumage after the abnormal dress 

 was once assumed; but the bird, which proved to be a female, always 

 seemed in perfect health and laid several sets of eggs while in captivity, of 

 course hatching none. She, however, adopted any young bird, of what- 

 ever species, put into her cage, and in every case reared the young birds 

 successfully. She died when about five years old, through the carelessness 

 of the person left to feed her. Unfortunately her skin was not preserved. 

 The food was varied as much as possible, consisting largely of insects, 

 worms, fruit, etc., in summer, with a large proportion of meat, bread, etc., 

 in winter. — W. B. Barrows, Middletotvn, Conn. 



Auk, 2, July, 1886. p. S03 . 



Albiniem and Melaniem in North 

 American Birds. Buthven Deane. 



Another abnormal state (Melanism), in which our birds have 

 been found, is of exceedingly rare occurrence, and but five spe- 

 cies have been recorded on my list -.-Turdus migratorius. 

 BuJi. N.O.O. 1, April, 1876, p,24 



Only one case of " Melanism " has come un- 

 der my notice, and for a long time I could act 

 make it out, until 1 a.sked Mr. W. G. Blunt, of 

 Sau Francisco, whose collection it was in, what 

 kind of a robin he called that black fellow? 

 He said it liad been sent him fi-om the moun- 

 tains, as something new in the bird line. It 

 proved to be a Kedbreast {M. iiwjraloria propin- 

 qut£i, decked out iu a crow's suit of black, and 

 truly, he looked like a masquerader, his own 

 brother would not have known him. The plu- 

 mage shone with a jet richness, and only hill 

 and eye showed him " Robin of old." Let us 

 liear from other collections. 



0.& O* XJil^Jone. 1888 p . W " V 3 • 



Melanitio Plumage of Eobin. — I recently 

 secured a Robin which showed decided traces of 

 melanism, the feathers of the back possessing the 

 ebony brilliancy of the Purple Grackle. — S. J. 



Leanord, ITtiea, N. Y. 



O.&O. XI.May.l886.p.;7 



A Black Robin {Turdus migratorius). — Ihave been greatly interested 

 in a case of melanism, — a black Robin. The color is very decided, and 

 covers the entire bird, with a very trifling exception. The lower man- 

 dible is yellow, but its upper one is black. I noted three specks on the 

 breast, of the normal mahogany-red ; but all put into one would not make 

 an area of more than a quarter of an inch. The bird is lively, thrives in 

 confinement, is a male, and was taken from a nest in Freehold, New Jersey, 

 this last summer. There was but one other bird in the nest, also a male, 

 which was normaUy colored. — Samuel Lockwood, Freehold, N. J. 

 [For another case of this affection of the same bird, see this Bulletin, 

 Vol. Ill, p. 47; Forest and Stream, Vol. XIII, Aug. 7, 1879, p. 525.— 

 B.C.] Bua N.O.O. 5, Jan.. 1880. P. ffk. ■ 



