On 16 Oct 2006 at 10:48, Julia Allen, PhD, DVM wrote:

> Trying to get the definition of the word used to describe the white
> Black-capped Chickadees - leucastic/leucistic/lecistic - various
> spellings of the word have appeared in postings.
>
> Merriam-Webster OnLine lists the word "leucitic" from the word
> leucite, a white or grey mineral (none of the other spellings were
> found.)
>
> If this is not the correct spelling, please advise.

The correct spelling is, I believe, leucistic.

The "leuc-" combining form is defined (in part) as "1. white:
colorless: weakly colored. (Webster's 7th New Collegiate Dictionary)

Leucistic itself is not defined even in Webster's unabridged
dictionary. It seems to be a biological term.

My interpretation from the previous discussion of this on Tweeters is
that, ornithologically, leucistic is used to describe a bird with pale
to nearly white plumage, in whole or in part.

This compares with the term albino which describes an individual with
abnormally all white plumage (or fur) and generally red eyes.

Be interesting to see what other definitions we come up with.

Doug

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Douglas Canning
Olympia, Washington
dcanning at zhonka.net
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