# And back again... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 1999, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479 "1999-10-29T18:59:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/1 "1999-10-29T18:59:00Z")
Okay, now that the fair TubaDiva has taken pity on me and closed my other annoying thread, let’s reopen it. Have any of you ever seen this T-shirt (and I would assume it’s a poster as well)? It lists more than a few terms for groups of animals. Here’s some that I remember: -murder of crows -charm of finches -parliament of owls -leap of leopards I know this is a _really_ General Question, but if any of you know some of the more obscure terms for these groups (i.e., I already know a group of lions is a pride), could you list them here? It’s a bit of a personal project, and I can’t find that shirt anywhere. Ahhh, much better. Thanks to everyone who answered before, and a big Bronx cheer for Satan. * * * And the problem with small furry animals in corners is that, just occasionally, one of them’s a mongoose. Terry Pratchett, _Witches Abroad_ ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/2 "1999-10-29T19:04:00Z")
And I will repeat: Hie thee to a bookstore or library and get a copy of James Lipton’s **An Exaltation of Larks** that describes the rationale of and history of “terms of venery.” ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/3 "1999-10-29T19:09:00Z")
I could be misreading things, but I think I friend is looking for a t-shirt to wear, not looking for a source of collective critter names. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/4 "1999-10-29T19:15:00Z")
And just in case anyone wants to see the posts from the previous version of this thread – [http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/003327.html](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/003327.html) * * * **Dopeler effect:** The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/5 "1999-10-29T19:18:00Z")
Unc, can you set it up so it keeps sending those annoying e-mails to Flypside? * * * Uke ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/6 "1999-10-29T19:23:00Z")
Uke, I’d give it a shot, but I keep my e-mail address available here. I’d hate to see what kind of a blizzard I’d get in **my** inbox. Oh yeah, army of frogs. * * * **Dopeler effect:** The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/7 "1999-10-29T19:44:00Z")
Well, thank you very little, Uke. Hey, wait- If I could Cecil to sponsor it, I could collect $.05 (WTF! There’s no cents sign on my damn keyboard! Well, _that’s_ going in GQ) for each email I get from that… * * * And the problem with small furry animals in corners is that, just occasionally, one of them’s a mongoose. Terry Pratchett, _Witches Abroad_ ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/8 "1999-10-29T19:44:00Z")
What’s the first thing you have to teach an army of frogs? How to say “I surrender!” in German! Hyuk hyuk hyuk…oh, lordy, sometimes I kill myself! * * * Uke ---
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/9 "1999-10-29T19:51:00Z")
Can we make up our own? Here’s one I like to use: “a lit of drunks” OK, maybe it wasn’t that funny… * * * It’s a long way to heaven, but only three short steps to hell. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/10 "1999-10-29T19:55:00Z")
Damn you, Uke. Okay, wise guy try this one: a sneak of weasels. * * * **Dopeler effect:** The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/11 "1999-10-29T19:59:00Z")
A “flash” of paparazzi(sp?). * * * It’s a long way to heaven, but only three short steps to hell. ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/12 "1999-10-29T20:19:00Z")
A couple off the top of my head: A pod of whales, a sleuth of bears. Can’t think of any others right now. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/13 "1999-10-29T20:26:00Z")
## A batch of (computer) operators. (obsolete) A pounding of keypunch clerks. A snarl of Communications technicians. A listing of programmers. An inquiry of analysts. A muddle of managers. A wailing of users. Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![heretic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/46a35a/32.png) [@heretic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heretic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/14 "1999-10-29T20:29:00Z")
A fesnyng of ferrets (probably a [very] bad rendition of “business”) A pride of lions A gaggle of geese (on the ground) A skein of geese (in flight) An unkindness of ravens (love that one) A watch of nightingales A wisp of snipe A blessing of unicorns ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/15 "1999-10-29T21:14:00Z")
Well, if we’re allowed to contrive our own, howz about, “a thread of trolls?” * * * **Dopeler effect:** The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/16 "1999-10-29T21:18:00Z")
So the erstwhile Browns could be called the “Baltimore Unkindness.” ---
**Author:** ![NanoByte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecc23a/32.png) [@NanoByte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NanoByte)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/17 "1999-10-29T21:31:00Z")
Hey, I thought we were limited here to birds. I could probably supply a whole jail of them, but I’ve been confined to short posts these days. Probably discrimination against my monicker here. So, in line with Hallowe’en, I’ll just submit a ‘shock of scarecrows’. And Flypsyde: FYI, the cent sign is ’ ¢ '. Ray ---
**Author:** ![NanoByte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecc23a/32.png) [@NanoByte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NanoByte)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/18 "1999-10-29T21:34:00Z")
Of course, I should’ve said: _ **FWIW** _, the cent sign is ’ ¢ '. But I guess there’s enough of that sort of thing going on here that this wasn’t really called for, even it does make cents. Ray (picobyting these days) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/19 "1999-10-29T23:12:00Z")
- **¢** - can be had by doing the ALT + 0162 dance. I haven’t seen it on a keyboard since I worked on an ancient Burroughs machine, although my typewriter used to have one where these electronic jobbers place the carat: ^ ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Dirty\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Devil)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479/20 "1999-10-29T23:49:00Z")
My favorite is “a business of ferrets.” I can just see them all in their little three-piece suits planning a corporate take-over. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-back-again/4479.md?page=2)