Correspondence.



137



of the former could be seen. Many people have told me the same tale from various

parts of England, and I fear that it was not only the weaker birds that succumbed.

In Essex, a former gamekeeper of mine, who was quartered in that county, told me

that it was piteous to see the birds dead everywhere, even frozen in nooks of hay¬

stacks. And what about Golden-crested Wrens and Long-tailed Titmice? They

were almost exterminated, so that it must take several years before their numbers

are anything like normal. Where, too, are the Fieldfares and Redwings ? It is

good to be optimistic, but there is no doubt whatever that Song Thrushes and many

others are conspicuous by their absence. I have a very large lawn here, on which

Blackbirds and Thrushes used to hop about. I never see the latter species now,

and only two or three males of the former.


Brinsop Court , Hereford; Yours, etc.,


January 14 th, 1918. Hubert D. Astley.



BREEDING OF SHAMAHS.


Dear Sir, — W ill you allow me to draw upon your great experience and very

kindly give me the benefit of your advice.


I have at present (in this room incidentally) a pair of Shamahs, unrelati d,

which reared eleven young last summer. In my little outdoor unheated aviary I

have a young aviary-bred brother and sister (they experienced a frost a week

ago and look very fit — “in a good hour,” etc.). I thought at first of selling these,

but decided to keep them over the winter in case anything happened to either of

the parents. Now I can’t bring myself to part with them, and contemplate mating

them in addition to the parents. Is there any great objection to mating brother

and sister ? I have not been able to arrange an exchange of cocks with anyone. The

only alternative these times would be to mate either with some British species —

Robin, for instance. What would you think of this? I think the parents, with

any luck, should breed again. They are both in excellent fettle at present.


I have had such numbers of inquiries for Shamahs. I think £10 would

readily be obtained for a pair just now ! I have so few birds at present that I can

give both pairs compartments very nearly to themselves, which is a great con¬

sideration. I shall be so very much obliged if you will advise me (1) as to mating

brother and sister ; (?) as to mating with some British species if possible. I don’t

know how I shall manage live food for them all!


14, Royal Terrace, E., Kingston ; Yours very truly,


January 1-Lth, 1918. Geo. E. Low.



YOUNG SHAMAHS.


The following reply has been sent to Mr. Low :


Inbreeding is to be avoided if possible, as the offspring are liable to be weak;

still there is no doubt that it occurs pretty frequently among wild birds ; so, perhaps,

would not matter much if not persisted in. I think it would be preferable to

attempting to cross a Shamah with a Robin, both being very pugnacious birds ; you

don’t want to have a Shamah killed, as it certainly might be if aitacked by a

Robin.


If Shamahs were cheap birds I should say try it by all means; because, if



