40 PASSERINE PABBAKEET. 



The female,, too, differs considerably from the ordinary female Blue 

 Wing, especially by her greenish yellow face, which is very perceptible 

 when the birds are seen together. In a general way we object to 

 the multiplication of species as leading to confusion; but where the 

 differences are so marked as they are between the ordinary Blue Wing 

 and the bird called Der Sperling spapagei oline blaue JJnterflilgel by 

 Russ, the Psittacus Santi Thomce of Kuhl, we have no alternative but 

 to separate them, or abandon specific distinctions altogether. 



Since writing the above we have observed that our widowed Blue 

 Wing does not seem to be in the least affected by the loss of her 

 poor husband, whose sad fate we have related on a preceding page, 

 but on the contrary is getting over her moult nicely, and is looking 

 strong and hearty, and we have no doubt will be quite ready to accept 

 the attentions of a new husband when we present her with one in the 

 Spring. 



So much for the relative strength of attachment in the two sexes; 

 the male died because he could not live alone for an hour, and the 

 female, apparently, loses this constant mate unmoved, and bestows not 

 a thought upon his memory. It seems almost a libel on the fair sex, 

 but it is true, nevertheless; the power of love is greater in the male 

 than in the female, as a rule, throughout creation: there are exceptions 

 no doubt, but these rather confirm than disprove our assertion. 



"As far as my experience has gone", writes our friend Mrs. Cassirer 

 in this connection, "I find the male birds, as a whole, far more sweet- 

 tempered and devoted to their families than the hen birds." 



Need we add another word? 



