N. Wharton-Tigar—Some Songsters among Foreign Softhills 261



SOME SONGSTERS AMONG FOREIGN

SOFTBILLS


By N. Wharton-Tigar


Many bird lovers consider a beautiful song the most essential

point in choosing a softbill. I count myself among these, though

exquisite colouring and form are, perhaps, quite as important.


Looking back on the keeping of many softbills, pride of place must

be given for song to the Indian Shama—it is melodious and a really

good Shama never ceases to sing. I have had several varieties. First

the usual form from Bombay ; then the variety from Nepal, a lovely

creature of glorious form, next a very large, extra long-tailed kind from

Penang ; this one is still with me, and is certainly very fine. Some years

ago Mr. Goodfellow told me of this variety and said he had seen a

beauty in or near a native temple, so when I was offered my present

bird I did not hesitate to buy it. Unfortunately for me, it had been

brought over on the dried worms that come occasionally with Indian

softbills, and I found it difficult to get it on to our usual food ; but

although sick, this Shama still sang. It has since fully recovered and

is now a great joy. I have recently acquired Strickland’s Shama, the

white-capped variety from Borneo, a very beautiful bird that I have

long wished to possess ; it has a typical song, quite soft at present,

but then it is not yet in fine form.


A few years ago I was fortunate enough to secure the Black-headed

Mocking Thrush from Brazil. In a cage he scarcely sang, but when

turned out into an outdoor aviary, the song was marvellous ; one would

wake up in the morning to the sound of his glorious notes, beautiful

yet strange and tropical.


Among Fruitsuckers I have had several that sang well but none so

good as one now in my possession, an all green one with a black mask

rejoicing in the grand name of the Malachite-shouldered Leaf Bird,

his picture appeared recently in this Magazine. Nearly every day

he invents something new, at times his whistle is so clear, that it is

difficult to believe it is a bird’s—he is a wonderful mimic and imitates



