School: Cluain Fhada (roll number 15091)

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1. Bird-Lore (continued)

   

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   yellow. The female is of a dull brown and her bill is bright only in Spring. The blackbirds make their nests of hay and hair in a hedge. The starling, when seen at a distance, looks black, but, when seen near at hand, we notice that he has tints of green and purple. They make their nests in the eaves of houses.
   In a tuft of grass, is the place to find the nests of the stonechat and linnet. The stonechat is reddish brown in colour with a black head. The linnet's nest is lined with hair. They get their materials from the cowshed, the field, and the farmyard.
   The wagtail is never still for a moment. His long tail is always in motion. They make their nest in the side of a drain.
   The swallows are well-known Summer birds though they do not rank high as songsters. They make their nests in barns or sheds. The cuckoo chooses the nest of the robin to lay her egg in but lets the robin hatch it. When the young cuckoo comes out he seizes all the foods the robin brings home. In the month of July the cuckoo emigrates to Africa. When the swallows fly low it is a sign of rain. When the curlews begin to cry it is sign of rain and when the crane is seen near the house or on the side of a drain it is a sign of rain also. The robin is connected with "The Saviour". It is said when He was dying on the cross a robin flew to Him to take a thorn from His head and a drop of the blood fell on his breast. Since then the robin has been called "Robin Redbreast".

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. animal-lore (~1,185)
         1. bird-lore (~2,478)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Ellen Connolly

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Toomore, Co. Roscommon

   Informant

   Teresa Connolly

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Toomore, Co. Roscommon