291 
Review of Dr. Finsch’s ‘ Die Papageien.’ 
for 1847 (p. 560) its specific validity, its claim to rank as distinct 
from the red-billed birds, is maintained. Mr. Blyth (J. A. S. 
B. 1846, p. 24, note) stated, “ in P. pondicerianus, the upper 
mandible of the female is usually black, but often more or less 
mingled with red ; that of the male being always bright coral- 
red/'’ Writing in 1850 (op. cit. xix. p. 234) the same author 
states of this bird, “ In a presumed female observed in captivity, 
the upper mandible changed from black to coral-red when the 
bird was about 18 months old.'” Later on (Ibis, 1866, pp. 
353, 354), the last time Mr. Blyth wrote on the species, he 
says, “ From an early age (before leaving the nest) the sexes 
differ in the male having the upper mandible coral-red*, while 
that of the female is black .... and in many females it per¬ 
haps remains permanently black, while in others it changes 
sooner , or later to red.” And he adds that he is “ tolerably 
well acquainted with it, having spent a month in forests ” with 
the species. Jerdon (op. cit. p. 263) describes the female in 
these words, “The female merely differs from the male by 
having a black bill at first, which changes to red in old or fully 
adult females.” In the face of these conflicting opinions, is Dr. 
Finsch to be blamed for adopting an opinion of his own ? and 
anyhow ought he to have been exposed to the insolent and in¬ 
sulting criticism which Mr. Hume, in relation to this species, 
heaps upon him ? “ (poor Jerdon and Blyth, always wrong ! 
Finsch, the clever fellow, always right!!) ” and then this obser¬ 
vation on a remark of Dr. Finsch, “ He adds with that de¬ 
liciously bland assumption of superiority and omniscience 
which irradiates his pages ” (t.c. p. 20). I will quote Dr. 
FinsclFs opening words, “ Ohne der Auctoritat eines Blyth 
oder Jerdon zu nahe treten zu wollen ” (t. c. p. 68). As 
to Jerdon^s opinion on the moot point, it may be stated that 
up to the last he had not arrived at any decided conclusion. 
So uncertain was he, that by his advice, and in order to settle 
the question, a friend in Burma was written to and asked to 
collect and carefully mark the sex of as many specimens as he 
* Tins is in direct opposition to wliat Mr. Hume lays down in the 
passage beginning “ I too, who have seen thousands, and shot hundreds ” 
(t. c. p. 20). 
