Chapter 1
The medieval roots of animal groups
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Chapter 2
Secrets of the sky and sea
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Chapter 3
Creepy crawlies and cold-blooded crowds
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Chapter 4
Mammals from mobs to mischief
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YOUR GOAL
Master of Secret names of animal groups
Ch 1 · The medieval roots of animal groups
schopenhauer Terms of venery
We call them a pride or a murder of crows, just to show off like medieval knights!
schopenhauer Medieval nobles invented complex animal group names as a secret language to identify upper-class hunters.
schopenhauer This 1486 book became the ultimate guide for gentlemen, containing over a hundred collective nouns.
BETA
schopenhauer Match beasts to their bizarre collective nouns to discover the strangest group names in history.
Fun Fact
Medieval hunting terms: The term 'murder of crows' was actually invented as a playful poetic joke by medieval hunters.
Glossary
venery (noun)
The art, act, or sport of hunting. This medieval hunting tradition inspired the collective names printed in the 1486 Book of St. Albans.
The art, act, or sport of hunting. This medieval hunting tradition inspired the collective names printed in the 1486 Book of St. Albans.
Quiz
Which of these animal group names originates from the 1486 'Book of Saint Albans'?
Quiz
Which animal group name from the Middle Ages is still used by modern biologists today?
Quiz
Who wrote the 1486 'Book of Saint Albans' containing many animal group names?