Cat Orchestra and the Elephant Butler

From dancing horses to showers of living cats and dogs, this book presents the peculiar history of performing animals and zoological wonders. "The Cat Orchestra & the Elephant Butler" presents astounding tales from across the rich folklore of the animal kingdom: a learned pig more admired than Sir Isaac Newton by the English public, an elephant that Lord Byron wanted to employ as his butler, and a dancing horse whose skills in mathematics were praised by William Shakespeare. Jan Bondeson tells ten fascinating stories of myths and hoaxes, beliefs and Ripley-like facts, concerning the animal kingdom. Throughout he recounts - and in some instances solves - mysteries of the natural world which have puzzled scientists for centuries.