The Warbler Family. 93 



on the look-out for a mealworm. And this 'popping 

 out from somewhere/ or often from 'nowhere/ is 

 one of the idiosyncrasies of the bird. The door may 

 have been left open, and the Shamah has disappeared. 

 You may search every nook and corner, high and low, 

 upstairs and downstairs, but no Shamah. You come 

 into the room an hour later, and there is your bird all 

 right. 



" If confined in a cage, it should be in a box-cage, or 

 in one which has a sheltered and darkened corner, 

 and in the cage there should be a small natural bough, 

 and also a ledge or box high up, as it is very fond of 

 roosting on a flat place ajid high. 



"The Shamah will thrive much better in a garden 

 aviary during the summer than in the house, especially 

 if there be plenty of shrubs and places of shelter. 

 Indeed, if confined in a cage in the house during the 

 warm weather, it is apt to pluck out its feathers, unless 

 fed with tiresome judiciousness. It is best to bring 

 it, back to the house as soon as it shows signs of 

 moulting, as it will throw out a much finer tail in 

 the warm than in the cold. But, although bearing 

 a good deal of cold, if sudden changes of temperature 

 be avoided, it is a delicate bird in another way. It is 

 nervous, excitable, and naturally timid ; and if it be 

 confined in an open cage without a dark retreat, or 

 with too large perches, you may expect a paralytic 

 seizure. It must have a supply of good grit, plenty 

 of water for both drinking and washing, and doughy 

 and indigestible food must be avoided like poison. 

 It is very keen after mealworms, cockroaches, and 

 insects of all kinds. The more small insects you 



