Although one could hardly conceive a more complete collection of white birds and beasts, it is by no means so large or varied as in the past. The mortality among what may be termed the "hot-house" species--the birds and animals from tropical countries--was very great, and the difficulty and expense of constantly replacing them was so considerable that Lord Alington decided to dispense with them altogether. [Illustration: "FANNY," THE WHITE DEER.] The most striking creatures on the estate--and well they know it--are the white peafowl. The many-coloured peacock with which we are familiar is a beautiful bird, but I never saw anything in my life as perfect as the white specimen at Crichel. We were fortunate enough, by the exercise of the patience of Job, to stalk one of these birds, and snap him in full war paint. [Illustration: THE WHITE PEACOCK--THE KING OF THE WHITE FARM.] The photograph will give some idea of the beauty of the bird, but it cannot convey any adequate notion of the rich silken texture of the plumage, or the aristocratic stateliness of this beauty among beauties. Built into the hedge close to the place where our snapshot of the white peacock was taken, are several white cages devoted to some of the rarer breeds of white pigeons and guinea pigs. At the extreme end are the white rats and mice. [Illustration: A PICTURESQUE CORNER OF THE FARM.] One of the rarest and most interesting members of the white family is the mule--which is really much more like a pony in appearance--shown in another illustration. The poor brute has experienced many social vicissitudes; originally he was the property of the "Shadow of God upon Earth," as the Sultan of Turkey modestly styles himself. When Lord Alington was visiting Constantinople, the Sultan, who had heard of his hobby, presented the animal to him. The mule had not long been installed at the White Farm, when a gentleman who drove a four-in-hand of these animals was ordered abroad. He had a white mule in his team which he sold to Lord Alington, and so the farm became possessed of a pair. [Illustration: WHERE THE SHAGGY GUINEA-PIGS LIVE.] They were regularly used in harness till the death of the last-mentioned purchase. Then, as the survivor threatened to die of inactivity and crass laziness, he was given to the local baker, who uses him for the work of distributing bread round the country-side. From the Yildiz Kiosk to a country cart! How are the mighty fallen! [Illustration: A PRESENT FROM THE SULTAN TO LORD ALINGTON.] In a little paddock on the left-hand side of the entrance, a small but most interesting collection of white animals attracts the attention of the visitor. It consists of four superb Angora sheep and a pigmy bull. [Illustration: THE PIGMY BULL--NOT LARGER THAN A NEWFOUNDLAND DOG--AND THE WHITE ANGORA SHEEP.]