He said it was a sign when young chickens flew that way, and so he reckoned it was the same way when young birds done it.

I was going to catch some of them, but Jim wouldn't let me.

He said it was death.

He said his father laid mighty sick once, and some of them catched a bird, and his old granny said his father would die, and he did.
And Jim said you mustn't count the things you are going to cook for dinner, because that would bring bad luck.

The same if you shook the table-cloth after sundown.