Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
| www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
Aug. 18 '31 Junco A 409.050 and A 409.054-
A 409.059, incl. Actions of old and young
birds same as described 8/13 and 8/14. These
juncos all trapped in same location as A 409049-
A 409.053. It will be noticed that A 409.050
repeated today at same time and in same trap
that caught A 409.054-59. Do flocks of young
juncos become mixed?
Point Pinos Junco, F31007, banded August 15th
1931 at residence of F. Somers Peterson, Golf
Tract, San Rafael, Calif. According to Mrs.
Susan E. Van Zandt, governess in the Peterson
family, who first called my attention to this
bird, it was originally snow white--an albino
except for the eyes, which were always black. Mr.
and Mrs. Peterson corroborate this statement.
At present (Aug. 15th--the bird was off the
nest about July 10th, in company with another
young of normal color) the bird is a very light
bluish gray, and in some lights it appears to
be almost silvery in color. It is a trifle dark-
er on the back than underneath; on the upper
part of the breast, on each side, is the very
slightest suggestion of brown. The bill is
pinkish gray. There are no indications that
the bird is moulting, excepting on the crown
of the head, where new feathers are appearing.
These feathers are as light as those on the
rest of the head. The quills of the feathers,
on the upper side, seem to be the same color
as the feathers; the under side of the same
quills is decidedly darker. The two outer
tail feathers are pure white. According to
Mrs. Van Zandt the bird has not moulted. The
plumage does not appear to be dirty, and aside
from ordinary light colored dust, it does not
appear where dirt could have been acquired. This
Junco is now confined by Mrs. Van Z. in a small
aviary. According to Mrs. VanZandt, this bird,
while the parents were feeding it, was much
better nourished, and received more attention
than the normal one of the same brood.