86



Dr. M. Amsler—Breeding Failures



turning round there was my poor bird following me like a dog, but

no one but myself would have recognized this bedraggled object to be

a Shama ; he was so wet that all his skin areas were bare, and his

flights looked like bare quills.


He did not make the slightest attempt to escape when I went

to pick him up, and after devouring a dozen mealworms and spending

a couple of hours in a sunny cage, was returned to his wife, whom he

rejoined as if nothing had happened, and without any explanation of,

or apology for, the anxious hours of waiting he had caused her.


I have little doubt that he spent the night on an exposed branch

and was nearly drowned by the rainstorm which, coming in the dark,

made it impossible for him to move to a place of shelter.


As I stated above, this kind of thing is probably due to a loss

of precaution following an aviary life, but for all we know many wild

birds may come to an untimely end from the same cause.


The Indian Shama is, of course, the one most frequently imported,

but lovely though he is there are others which are more desirable ;

the sub-species from Java is a much larger and finer bird, and another

sub-species which I have only seen once, and that in Mr. Ezra’s collec¬

tion, had a white superciliary line—a most beautiful bird.


The next clutch from these birds was not long in appearing. On

this occasion a nest-box was chosen which was hung in the outer flight.

Three young were hatched from four eggs; this time I did not liberate

either parent until the chicks were twenty-four hours old.


The cock had learned his way in and out of the aviary, and the

little hen very quickly learned her lesson. Were it not for the anxiety

which this method of keeping birds always engenders, it is of course

by far the most fascinating way of keeping and breeding birds, especially

the insectivorous kinds. Once the birds have learned their way in

and out of the aviary they do not forget it, even after their

imprisonment, which must take place during the autumn, winter, and

early spring.


All went swimmingly with my little brood, and I had no difficulty

in examining them each day, always choosing a time when I thought

the parents were far away and not watching me.


It is quite amazing how much quicker young birds grow and feather



