Bird-Lore

transcribed at

Bird-Lore  [duchas:5029749]

The swallow is a small bird of a black and white colour and has a long tail. It is said that a snake took a piece out of her tail. She comes to this country early in Summer and migrates to some other country in Autumn. She builds her nest inside the roofs of houses and of hay barns. She lays five eggs and hatches them for three weeks. Some cruel boys rob them. Her nest is made of mud and is lined with horse hair. The weather can be judged by the way she flies. She flies low when it is going to rain. She is often seen flying about the farmyard, in and out of houses. The swallow is not a singing bird but she twitters.