MR. J. WHITAKER ON ABNORMAL PLUJIAGE 
G3 
.SO tlic variety is lost. Hut when once a variety has occurred, there 
is 'always the chance of its coming out again. For instance, in a 
rookery in Leicestershire, a few years back a "White liook was 
hatched, and nearly every year since either Avhite or pied ones have 
occurred. A good many years ago my father had a black-breasted 
Led Game-cock, with which he won a lot of money, and the bird 
was turned down in the yard at home to end his days in peace. 
He had in his left wing two white feathers. The young birds that 
sprung from him were ■without these feathers ; but after fifteen 
years, one of his descendants had the same two feathers white in 
the same Aving. This at once attracted my father’s attention, and 
he told mo the tale. !Mr. Frederick Hond of Staines, the “Father 
of present British IShvturalists,” has the finest collection of birds in 
abnormal plumage in Britain, numbering seventy-seven speeic.s, 
many uniipie. I bavo seventy-two in my collection. !Mr. John 
^Marshall has more albinoes than any one, amongst them some 
Avonderful birds. Sir John CrcAve, Mr. William Borrer, and 
Mr. J. H. Gurney, Jun., have also fine series. I haA-e noticed that 
Larks, SparroAvs, Starlings, and Blackbirds are more subject to 
variety than any other species ; but perhaps this is accounted for by 
their being in greater numbers than other species. 
A list of varieties of all the species that I have seen in 
collections or heard of : — 
"White-tailed Eai.de.* Marshall, 
Norwich Museum. 
Jlerliu. t Sir J. Crewe. 
Kestrel, very light. J. Whitaker. 
Kestrel, slightly pied. Norwich 
Museum. 
Sparrow Hawk.* f Marshall and 
Bidwell. 
Common Buzzard, t Norwich 
Museum. 
Montagu’s Harrier, melanism. 
Gurney. 
Bed-backed Shrike.* Whitaker. 
Spotted Flycatcher.* Whitaker, 
Bond, and Marshall. 
* White. 
^lisseltoe Thrush.* t 
Song Thrush.* t 
Fieldfare.* f 
Eedwing * t and melanism. J. 
Whitaker. 
Blackbird.* + 
Bing Ousel, t 
Hedge Accentor.* t 
Bedbreast.* f 
Eedstart. f Whitaker. 
Stonechat. f 
Whinchat.* t 
Wheatear.* f 
Sedge Warbler.* Bond. 
Beed W arbler.* Bond. 
t Pied. 
