Albino Swallow in Sequoia National Park
Albino Swallow in Sequoia National Park.-An albino swa.llow was observed on August 4, 1954, near the Wolverton Ski Hut in Sequoia National Park, California. A group of forty-five park visitors watched the white bird sweeping through the air capturing insects for more than twenty minutes. On occasion when the bird wheeled and turned within ten feet of us, we could sc!e that its entire plumage was white and the eyes pink. It was flying in company with a large flock of normally colored Violet-green Swallows (TucLycineta tkalasina) and we assumed it was of the same species as it appeared to be of the same size and shape. Also, no other species of swallow was noted in the area that morning. On August 11, 1954, Violet-green Swallows were again observed at Long Meadow, but the albino bird was not seen that day. Three days later, however, three park visitors who had just returned frrom a hike to Heather Lake reported they had observed a white swallow flying above Tokopah Valley in the vicinity of The Watchtower, at an altitude of 8600 feet. This could have been the same bird observed at Long Meadow on August 4, or another one.
Although albinism reasonably may be expected in any species, its occurrence in swallows seems sufficiently unusual to be noteworthy.-JACK C. VON BLOEKER, JR., Giant Forest, Sequoia Nation& Park, California, September 1, 1954
