The National tribune., 1906-06-28
ALBINOS.
why Are There Ne Females Am0na
ThemH

Editor National. Tribune: Some time
ago there was q notice In The National
Tribune that q white deer had been
killed In Wisconsin. and mentioned that
such freaks are very scarce. They are
| rare, indeed. I have lived in Michigan
50 years. and have never heard OF but
one white deer being seen in the State.
Oceana County by man, who skinned
1t, stuffed the skin with straw. then
took it to a little village and exhibited
1t as curiosity. / heard OF 1t, sent
and bought It, and, being a taxtdermfst.
mounted 1t. and 1t Is now In my mu-
scum. with many other animals, birds
and curiOs. Once q white red-sQuirrel
was sent to me-not q white weasel
but hurry of work prevented my
mounting 1t in time. and only the white
tail was saved. Two white blackbirds
were killed near this city many years
ago. and they were mounted by DR.. De
Camp.
In the Summer Of 1871 a white robin
and his mate had their home in the
woods just back of my neighbor's
house. and they were seen in the yard
after crumbs nearly every day. I
planned to invite the male bird to re-
main with me while the mother went
south with the children when they
were large enough; but man with his
white bird. Just to see what 1t was. then
threw 1t away. / have heard OF q white
crow and white black squirrel. Now,
1 am not speaking of birds and animals
that are naturally white, like the white
swan or the white bear. but OF those
pure freaks of nature where scarcely
one in 10000 or 100000 is white.
The dictionary defines Aibino as "a
person. whether negro. Indian or white.
In whom by some defect of organixa-
ton the substance which gives color to
the skin, hair and eyes is deficient or In
morbid state. An Albino has skin Of
a milky hue and hair OF the same color.
and eyes with deep red pupil and pink
or blue iris
Now. that exactly describes the few
A1bfnos that have seen, whether birds.
animals or the human family. The Pc
culiar color Of the eyes was very no.
5ticeable in the animals and BIRDS
& In the Summer of 1874 an Albino
family formed a side show for a cara
van" that traversed the State Of New
York. 1 went IL miles, to Rochester,
to see them. There were four boys
about Is. IA. IL and 10 years of age,
and their custodian said they were
brothers. and that their father and
mother were full-biooded negroes. as
black as negroes ever are. These boys
had thick lips, fat nose and curly hair
oAe VIC iAdf was q milky Wn1l6, ike
their skin, no tinge OF pink except in
the whites OF their eyes, and there the
pupils were RED and the iris a pinkish
blue. They rolled up their sleeves and
turned down their stockings to satisfy
the fncredulOus that they were not
painted The older ones played base
VOL or violin, the next one played yfo-
lin or banjo, and the youngest ratified
bones or played the tamborine Their
music and their dancing greatly pleased
the audience. The color of their eyes
and hair convinced all that they were
genuine Albinos: but we never heard
or them after that year.
Now, why Is 1t that we never hear OF
a female Albino. either bird, animal or
human? Only one answer-there are
none; and why. no mortal can tell. Al
Dino seems freak that can only be
played upon the male sex Do Albinos
breed? Doubtful. Although that white
robin played the part OF father to his
family in the Summer Of 1871, it would
De as difficult to tell IL he was father
OF either one of the brood as 1t would
be to assign the chickens in the yard
to the proper rooster. A fraternal feel
ing may cause Albinos to associate with
others OF their kind, but doubt II they
ever breed. II they could breed, SO
great resemblance I'm looks would
have caused association that would
have resulted In large Albino families
thousands OF years ago. DID anybody
ever see or know OF a female Albino
animal or bird?-Asa w. Slayton, Co.
B. 25th Mich.