School: Newtown, Fertullagh

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1. Bird-Lore (continued)

   

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   of sticks.

   Crows, jackdaws, blackbirds, jay - thrushes, and curlews lays green eggs which are covered with brown spots.

   Starlings, sparrows, thrushes, yellow-hammers, skylarks and the cuckoo all lay blue eggs.

   The eggs of robins, wrens, willie - wag - tails, goldfinches, swallows, sandmartins, and stonechatters are white spotted with brown.

   The eggs of the chaffinch, swift, and magpie are blue with brown spots on them.

   Sallypickers and cranes lay grey eggs.

   The eggs of the blue - tit, and plover are green.

   White eggs are laid by the crested wren, partridge, boglark and the pigeon.

   The pleasant and the grouse lay dark brown eggs.

   Boys may be fined £5 if found robbing bird's nests.

   When swallows fly low it is the sign of rain. When the seagulls fly seawards it is the sign of fine weather, and if they remain on land it is the sign of rain.

   

   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

   Eirene Matthews

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Ballynagore, Co. Westmeath

   Informant

   Mr Andrew Baker

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballykilroe, Co. Westmeath