1 63



Hvicultural fllbacjasme,


BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE


AVICULTURAL SOCIETY.



New Series — VOL. V. — NO. Q.— All rights reserved. APRIL 1907


THE SHAMA.

By the Rev. Hubert D. Astxey, M.A.


It is only as a cage bird that I have known the Shama, for

I have never kept it in an aviary, but I think that it is not far off

thirty years ago since I had my first one, and only during short

periods within that time have I been without one. After all, on

first reading, one might say, " What a quantity of Shatnas that

must mean," yet it might meau three, and has meant only four,

for a Shama will live for ten years at the least in good health and

song. One lived in perfect condition for eleven years, and was

at least a year old when purchased, and then died quite

suddenly, singing beautifully almost to the last moment. The

first one lived for ten years, and my present bird is in full

strength and beauty.


Mr. Phillipps has already recorded in our magazine some

few years back his success with a pair of these birds which

nested and reared up their young, indeed I could have wished

that he might have found leisure moments for writing once more

about them. He has had more experience with the hen birds

than I have, and has studied them in his aviaries. They are

so seldom imported, those softly coloured hens ! A thousand

pities, for they are extremely good to look upon, and their

presence would give some of us an opportunity of seeing a

Shama's nest and eggs and brood.


How hopeful one always is ! A Hindoo gentleman has

told me that the name "Shama" signifies a dark thunder-clord,

a blue-black cloud which floats up menacingly before the st



