Thursday, January 22, 2009

Animal Crackers

I have four cats. I'm watching the Dog Whisperer on National Geographic Channel, which, if you have a dog, you absolutely must watch. He keeps referring to the "pack" with regard to the dog-dog and people-dog relationship and I began to wonder what a "pack" of cats is called.

I found my answer: Clowder. And this most enlightening list.

ApesA shrewdness
AssesA pace
BadgersA cete
BatsA colony
BearsA sloth, sleuth
BuffaloA gang, an obstinacy (I suspect these refer to old world buffalo; use "herd" for American bison)
CatsA clowder, a pounce; for kittens...A kindle, litter, an intrigue
CattleA drove, herd
DeerA herd, bevy (refers only to roe deer)
DogsA litter (young), pack (wild), cowardice (of curs); specific to hounds...A cry, mute, pack, kennel
ElephantsA herd
ElkA gang
FerretsA business
FoxA leash, skulk, earth
GiraffesA tower
GoatsA tribe, trip
GorillasA band
HippopotamusesA bloat
HorsesA team, harras, rag (for colts), stud (a group of horses belonging to a single owner, string (ponies)
HyenasA cackle
KangaroosA troop
LeopardsA leap
LionsA pride
MartensA richness
MolesA labor
MonkeysA troop, barrel
MulesA pack, span, barren
OttersA romp
OxenA team, yoke
PigsA drift, drove, litter (young), sounder (of swine), team, passel (of hogs), singular (refers to a group of boars)
PorcupinesA prickle
RabbitsA colony, warren, nest, herd (domestic only), litter (young); specific to hares...A down, husk
RhinocerosesA crash
SealsA pod, herd
SheepA drove, flock, herd
SquirrelsA dray, scurry
TigersA streak
WhalesA pod, gam, herd
WolvesA pack, rout or route (when in movement)


There's more, for birds and other animals here.

They really do call it a murder of crows! It's a convocation of eagles; and a parliament of owls!

And a plague of locusts. I swear to God! And here I always thought they meant plague...as in...you know...plague.

The Gunslinger

4 comments:

  1. English again proves itself to be a difficult language, at best.

    I is an engineer.

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  2. Brett...welcome!

    LOL...but what is a "pack" of engineers?

    How about a "steeling"?

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. It's amazing how fitting most of those are. "A business of ferrets", "A bloat of hippopotamuses" (are they sure that's not hippopotami?)... I really giggled at "A romp of otters". That one is just perfect.

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