School: Killmallock Convent School

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1. Bird-Lore (continued)

   

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   numbers of injurious insects.
   The cuckoo is well known by its peculiar note from which it gets its name, is the fore-runner of Spring. Comes early in April. He leaves his eggs in the nests of other birds, such as the wagtail, or the hedge-wabler to be hatched with their brood. He seldom leaves more than one egg in a nest. The young cuckoo clears the nest of the other young birds.
   The sparrow is the commonest of small birds. He does harm to young plants in Spring, yet he does more good than harm by eating vast numbers of caterpillars and moths.
   The ring-dove or pigeon builds a carless nest merely a bundle of sticks placed loosely in a forked bough. These birds consume immense quantities of grain and seeds of various birds, as well as leaves of young vegetables.
   The owl sees better by night than by day. She hides by day and seeks food:-small birds, mice, rats, at night. Her feathers are soft and loose and makes no noise in her flight, and can this pounce suddenly on her prey.
   The black-bird is one of our best known birds. He takes his name from his plumage. The bill of the male is a bright orange coloured. He is a solitary bird being seldom seen with others of his kind. His rich mellow notes, filling the air on Summer evenings is one of the sweetest sounds in nature.
   The lapwing is so called because when you approach her nest the mother bird flutters about, as if her wings were

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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

   Maureen Sheedy

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Ballingaddy North, Co. Limerick

   Informant

   Thomas Sheedy

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballingaddy North, Co. Limerick