Genre:

Anecdote, Drollery

Subjects:

Natural History, Error, Acclimatization

    Relates that the bailie of a coastal town in Fife, watching a ship break up in a storm, noticed a turkey being washed ashore. 'Whether it was that turkeys had never then been seen in Fifeshire, or that the terrific scene had utterly confused all distinctions in his mind between zoology and ornithology' he was terrified, and announced to the town that he had seen 'a dreadful cretur'. On being questioned further he reported that he took it to be 'ane elephant'.