40 
PASSERINE PARRAKEET. 
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 Per Sperlingspapagei ohne blaue Unterflugel by 
Buss, 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? 
