Review of Dr. Finsch’s ‘ Die Papageien.’ 283 
German gentlemen, and,without mentioning any reasons, they 
were asked to translate it. One is a gentleman of the highest 
scientific distinction, the other an independent gentleman of 
education, both understanding, writing, and speaking English 
perfectly. By both it was thus rendered: “ This (point), 
namely, relates to the alleged (angeblich) green coloration 
of the female as stated by Blyth, etc.” By Mr. Hume the 
German word “ angeblich” is translated “ pretended;” and 
having laid, through this misrendering of its true meaning, 
the foundation of a charge of discourtesy against Hr. Finsch, he 
observes half a page further on : “ Here then are Dr. Finsch's 
strong proofs ; proofs which in his opinion justify his speaking 
of what Jerdon, Layard, Blyth, Hutton, and a dozen other 
Indian naturalists have stated as facts, the result of their 
personal observations, as ‘pretences’ ” (t. c. p. 14). I am 
also assured by my two German friends that there is neither 
in the sentence quoted, nor throughout Dr. Finsch's argu¬ 
ment, a trace of discourtesy to any one, and that by no fair 
construction, more especially when judged by the context, can 
the word “ angeblich ” be here rendered by the English verb 
“ pretend ” in its offensive sense. It will also be observed 
that Captain Hutton's name, not to mention the “ dozen other 
Indian naturalists,” is introduced by Mr. Hume, although 
not alluded to by Dr. Finsch, and moreover although Mr. 
Hume must have been well aware that Captain Hutton had 
never published any remarks on Parrots previous to 1873 
that could reasonably be known to Dr. Finsch'*. Mr. Hume 
having, by this skilful introduction of the offensive word 
“pretences ,” created in the superficial reader a prejudice 
against Dr. Finsch, proceeds, with many italicized words and 
outbursts of infallibility, to discuss Dr. Finsch's “ proofs,” and 
then continues, Nothing, we are again informed, is said of 
the young. Well let our oldest Indian naturalist, who knew 
all about these Paroquets long before Dr. Finsch was born, 
enlighten him ” ( t . c. p. 14). Captain Hutton's description 
* As a matter of fact I believe there were no published remarks on the 
subject by Captain Hutton extant when Dr. Finsch wrote, much less by 
a “ dozen other Indian naturalists.” 
