Category:
Animals
Animals
Pet Fawn
Back in the 1940s, Beth Pitt liked to take her pet fawn named "Star Messenger" on walks through New York City. As reported by The New Yorker in its Dec 6, 1941 issue:
Talk story about Beth Pitt, who shares her one-room apartment on W. 58th Street with Star Messenger, a fawn. The fawn is five months old & has been with Miss Pitt since her ninth day on earth. Miss Pitt paid $75 for her at a deer farm near Catskill. A stream of minor city officials has investigated the apartment -they were looking for an elk. Miss Pitt has taught her to click her heels, salute, & perform a weaving jig. She lets her off her leash for a romp in the Park.
It was the part about letting the fawn roam off-leash in Central Park that eventually got her in trouble, landing her a $2 fine.
Posted By: Alex - Wed Apr 02, 2014 -
Comments (8)
Category: Animals, 1940s
The Pig Swing
Alas, today's factory farming of pork precludes such luxury treatment.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Mar 27, 2014 -
Comments (19)
Category: Animals, Farming, Technology, 1960s
Gay’s Lion Farm
For almost 20 years, the only commercial lion breeding facility (and tourist attraction) "in the world."
The Wikipedia entry.
Article from 1926.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 26, 2014 -
Comments (5)
Category: Animals, Farming, Sightseeing, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s
Manhog
)I have no explanation for this micro-video. It might be the work of this fellow. But whatever the source, whatever the intention, it sure is weird.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Mar 23, 2014 -
Comments (5)
Category: Animals, Anthropomorphism, Video, Surrealism
Andy Rolan, The Donkey Man
Read everything in two columns up till the break, then everything after the break.
BREAK
Original article here.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 12, 2014 -
Comments (8)
Category: Animals, Eccentrics, Regionalism, 1970s
Monkey Hangers
"Monkey hanger" is a term by which Hartlepudlians are often known. According to local folklore, the term originates from an incident in which a monkey was hanged in Hartlepool, England. During the Napoleonic Wars, a French ship of the type chasse marée was wrecked off the coast of Hartlepool. The only survivor was a monkey, allegedly wearing a French uniform to provide amusement for the crew. On finding the monkey, some locals decided to hold an impromptu trial on the beach; since the monkey was unable to answer their questions, and many locals were unaware of what a Frenchman might look like,[citation needed] they concluded that the monkey was in fact a French sailor. Being found guilty, the animal was duly sentenced to death and hanged on the beach. The vertical part of the ship's mast he was hanged from is still visible on the beach between the Pilot pier and the Heugh.
More here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Mar 10, 2014 -
Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Death, Eighteenth Century
Cyriak for Coke
Posted By: Paul - Fri Mar 07, 2014 -
Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Business, Advertising, Products, Surrealism, Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Period Rock
Period rock, the lovely nickname for a creature found on Chilean beaches that bleeds when cut open. In fact locals eat it with salad and rice. (and a nice Chianti, just kidding!) There is a disturbing video at the link showing one of the living rocks being dissected by a tourist.
Posted By: Alex - Thu Mar 06, 2014 -
Comments (7)
Category: Animals
Rat Burning Festival
Nowadays we have the Burning Man festival. But back in the 19th century, they had the Burning Rat festival.
Some years since a gentleman, who had just returned from Rome, informed me that he had witnessed the extraordinary spectacle of a large number of rats, after having been dipped into spirits of turpentine and set on fire, being turned loose at the top of the flight of steps which leads from the Vatican to the Plaza below. A great crowd of persons was assembled to witness the spectacle, which took place at night; and I think my informant stated, was customary on the evening of a particular day of the year: the miserable rats, which left the top step of the flight like living balls of fire — amidst the shouts of the populace — arrived at the bottom mere masses of scorched flesh.
Is this custom still kept up at Rome? If so, on what day in the year?
Is this custom still kept up at Rome? If so, on what day in the year?
From: Notes and Queries. Nov 28, 1857.
Unfortunately, I don't believe that the correspondent ever received a reply to his question.
Posted By: Alex - Wed Mar 05, 2014 -
Comments (9)
Category: Animals, Customs, Foreign Customs
Bunnies Galore
A Japanese island that during WWII held secret poison gas producing factories now is home to something much more pleasant. Herds of friendly bunnies who love to be fed and petted as you can see by the delightful video above.
Posted By: Alex - Mon Feb 24, 2014 -
Comments (5)
Category: Animals
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |