Page:Auk Volume 37-1920.djvu/164

94 Figgins, Races of Branta canadensis. [j " n on September 19, 1918, my wife called my attention to an albino of this bird at our gate and upon my seeing it I went for my gun to procure it, as it was the first perfect albino, of a Mockingbird, I had ever seen alive in my life. Just as soon as the bird observed my intentions, it at once became exceedingly shy and although I followed it until long after sunset I could not even get within range of it at any time. I, however, saw it go to roost in a thick live oak tree in our yard among about eight or ten more birds of the same species; I then set the alarm clock to go off before sunrise hoping to secure it in the morning, which I did, shooting it from one of our fig trees. The specimen is a young male of the year which was undoubtedly raised in our yard, but escaped my notice. It is entirely white with an ashy tinge to all the feathers, and was in moult, the new feathers being pure white. I have invariably found albinos or albinistic specimens of birds exceed- ingly shy, this is not because the desire of possession is very keen with the collector, but because albinos are naturally shy. This is the first Mocking- bird I have shot since 1879 or 1880, when I collected several for my late friend Dr. Gabriel E. Manigault, to form a group representing Audubon's plate for the Charleston College Museum. Mt. Pleasant, S. C. THE STATUS OF THE SUBSPECIFIC RACES OF BRANTA CANADENSIS. BY J. D. FIGGINS. The need of specimens of Branta canadensis hutchinsi and Branta c. occidentalis recently prompted a critical examination of nearly forty specimens of this genus; and while it was not productive of an example that was not more obviously referable to true cana- densis, it was of interest because of its exciting a doubt concerning the validity of the above subspecific forms. Several of the speci- mens reveal one or more measurements that are credited to one or the other of the varieties, but the length of the wing or culmen invariably places them well above the limits of either. Besides, it was noted that the color and markings that are supposed to characterize occidentalis occur in unmistakable canadensis with disconcerting frequency.