92 Favourite Foreign Birds. 



kept two fairly-matched males in my garden, in the 

 non-rapacious birds' aviary ; but it was a mistake. 

 It was worth a king's ransom, nevertheless, to see 

 them, from time to time, on the ground, face to face, 

 a few inches apart, singing, whistling, and warbling 

 at one another, in notes which were perfectly 

 marvellous, and far excelling anything I have ever 

 heard coming from a lone bird. Undoubtedly the 

 Shamah is a wondrous songster and whistler; but 

 individual specimens vary considerably, probably ac- 

 cording to their bringing up. I have been told of 

 a Shamah which could whistle several tunes with 

 perfect accuracy. This bird died eventually of old 

 age, having been in the same home for a number 

 of years. The ordinary call-notes of the Shamah, 

 however, are repeated too frequently by some speci- 

 mens, until they become monotonous. 



" It is not seen to advantage when kept shut up in 

 a cage. Like the nightingale and many owners of 

 nightingales do not know this if allowed plenty, of 

 liberty, it will become very bold, familiar, and tame, 

 taking food freely from the hand. In the house it 

 should have a cage for its home, in which its food, 

 &c., should be placed a cage with an open door. 

 One I had in my dining-room used to come on to the 

 table at meal-times, take pieces of meat off my plate, 

 and hop about quite at home ; and it would retire to 

 its den and warble forth a song of thankfulness and 

 praise, putting many of the lords of creation to shame. 

 The same with one in my bird-room, or in the garden 

 during the summer, always popping out from some- 

 where with a 'Tit/ and an impudent jerk of the tail, 



