'Prolific Breeding of Shamas, 
333 
be lost, as it will almost certainly managre to struggle away into 
some hole in the rocks. In such holes, which are often very 
deep, they nest, commencing to lay about the end of May, and I 
think biingiiig off two broo ls in the season. The young after leav- 
ing" the nest generally remain with their parents for some time, and form 
with them the small parties one generally meets with. Their food con- 
sists mainly of the seeds of the bamboos and various grasses to- 
gether with berries and no doubt a consideiable addition of insect-life 
as well, and must ba found chiefly, if not entirely on the ironstone 
hills, as it is only occasionally that one comes across them in the 
open or on the cultivated ground, the common place to find these 
lilt]*i "Bu-shfowl" boing far away from any kind of farm right in 
the middle of a rough stretch of rough ironstone country. They, 
are sometimes trapped by the natives during the rains and the fevr 
I have had in captivity have done well on the ordinary native 
corns, together with boiled rice, while white ants, when obtainable 
were always greed 'ly devoured. 
Their popular name here is the " Stone" or Rock Bush-fowl," 
while native names a' o ' Beri'ito-AVallo " (=R<jck-Bush-fowl) or 
while their native names are "Berrito-Wallo " (=Bush-chicken) in Joloff , 
(To he continued). 
Prolific Breeding of Shamas. 
By Hubert D Astley, iM.A ., F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 
My pair of Shamas nested in May, building with doad 
leaves and hay in a tox intended for Parrakeets: but although 
three or four eggs were laid, they were not hatched. 
No sooner however, were they removed, than the birds 
commenced again, and in June, towards the end, four fine, 
young birds came out, which prospered well. When they had 
been a month out of the nest, the male bird began to bully 
them, although the female continued to feed them. Then a 
most unlooked for thing happened. I was watching the yoimg 
Shamas with their parents one morning, when I suddenly saw 
the female fly up and feed a fifth bird, which was sitting out- 
side a nesting -box — a little fellow with an apology for a tail 
— a nestling! I When had she had time to hatch a second 
brood, for she had seemed to be always about and busy with 
her four elder children. 
The next day there were five younger ones out, in all 
making eleven Shamas in the one aviary! 
It will for ever be to me a mystery how that bird 
