Peggy Johnson, age 13, of Louisville, Ky., for her question:

WHAT IS AN ALBINO?

A person or animal who cannot produce coloring substance in some or all of his organs is called an albino. It is caused by a change in the genes and can be inherited.

An albino has milky white skin, white hair and pink eyes. The pink eyes are caused by tiny blood vessels of the iris showing through the transparent parts which are hidden by blue or brown in a person with normal eyes.

Albinism varies from the complete absence of colorto nearly normal amounts of pigmentation. White rabbits and mice are true albinos, down to their pink eyes, while white horses and chickens are partial albinos because they have pigment in their eyes.