68 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



In captivity, at all events, it shows great power of mimicry, 

 which is rather a doubtful improvement 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 is a 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. E. Phillips, 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 regular 

 business of feeding Shamas. For a small sum paid 

 monthly they will supply a daily allowance of maggots, 

 grasshoppers, and safoo-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 

 Shama is kept, it is quite easy to make up the satoo one's 



