School: Ballinakill (B.) (roll number 895)
- Location:
- Ballinakill, Co. Laois
- Teacher: William Hande
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0831, Page 021
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- XML School: Ballinakill (B.)
- XML Page 021
- XML “The Water Hen”
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- The water hen is a big black bird, about the size of a crow. She spends most of her time in the water swimming. When she is not swimming she is under the bank. Sometimes in the water she ducks underneath and does not come up for a long time. In the Summer when the rushes are withered she gathers a number of these and makes a nest on some little island, or on the bank. She lays about ten eggs, and the colour of the eggs is white with brown spots. It takes her from four to six weeks to hatch the eggs.
