68 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 
but it certainly is a very much better songster than any 
other European bird, much surpassing the Thrush and 
Blackbird. In captivity, at all events, it shows great 
power of mimicry, which is rather a doubtful improve- 
ment to its natural strains, as, like most mimicking birds, 
it has but little discrimination! 
The Shama is one of the most popular cage-birds in 
Calcutta, and bears captivity very well, living for many 
years if properly attended to. The cages in which these 
birds are usually kept are, however, too small, and it is a 
shame to cover them up as is usually done. The bird, if 
covered, will sing louder, so Mr. E. W. Harper informs us, 
in reprobating the practice, but the subdued notes are just 
as pretty ; and after all a bird isa living intelligent being, 
and should be treated as such, and not as a musical box! 
The Shama is well adapted to cage-life, as it becomes 
very tame and seems contented in a small space. More- 
over, it is not at all sociable, being so extremely averse 
to company that it will not even tolerate the society of 
the other sex of its own species in the same cage! 
Nevertheless, it has been bred in an aviary in 
London by a well-known amateur, Mr. R. Phillipps, and no 
doubt could be much more easily induced to propagate its 
kind in its own country. 
There is in Calcutta a class of men who make a re- 
gular business of feeding Shamas. For a small sum paid 
monthly they will supply a daily allowance of maggots, 
grasshoppers, and satoo-paste to one’s bird. But they 
must be well looked after, for a day’s neglect would be 
disastrous to the poor captives. Where only a single 
