School: Smithstown, Castlecomer (roll number 14626)
- Location:
- Smithstown, Co. Kilkenny
- Teacher: Bríd Ní Mhórdha
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0865, Page 226
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- XML School: Smithstown, Castlecomer
- XML Page 226
- XML “Bird-Lore”
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On this page
- The wild birds found in my district are swallows, starlings, pheasants, cuckoos and wild ducks. The swallow, the starling, and the cuckoo migrate. The swallows go to a wamer country, the starlings go to a colder country, and the cuckoo goes to the warm countries of Europe. The swallow builds her nest in the house eaves and in farmhouses. The cuckoo builds no nest of her own, but she lays her eggs in another birds nest.
The Cuckoo builds her nest in high grass and ferns. The pheasant makes her nest like a hen's. She does not gather hair like the other birds. She sits down in the grass and stays there until she has a cosy little place made for her nest. Then she lays her eggs. She lays about fifteen eggs and sits on them for three weeks.
The weather can be judged by the behaviour of certain birds. If the swallows are flying low there will be rain, but if they are flying high there will be fine weather.
All the wild birds in the woods cry loud when there is going to be rain(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Richard Shorthall
- Gender
- Male
- Informant
- Richard Shorthall
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 62
- Occupation
- Miner
- Address
- Croghtenclogh, Co. Kilkenny
