MUIRHEAD`S MYSTERIES: A COLLECTION OF FORTEAN ZOOLOGICAL CURIOSITIES PART TWO

Here we go again with a collection of more Fortean Zoological Curiosities from my archives. I hope you found yesterday`s batch interesting. I will endeavour to make today`s collection interesting as well.

CROCODILE IN TRAWL: Skipper George Milton and the crew of the Folkstone trawler Number 9 when fishing were surprised by the weight of the trawl`s contents. When brought on deck, the trawl was found to contain a dead crocodile, 12ft long. Cutting off the tail, which they took to Folkstone, the crew dumped the carcass into the sea. It is thought that the crocodile had died on a voyage in a steamer to England and had been thrown overboard. (1)

At least 6 months ago I tried to find out more about this without success.

MAN BITES DOG: 'An enraged Indonesian villager killed a dog by repeatedly sinking his teeth into its throat after it bit a young boy. Health authorities are checking the dog for rabies.'(2)

SUPER RATS ON MARCH IN ENGLAND: 'A hunt is on for an army of rats spotted on the march across southern England. The rats, 300 of them scurrying along in a column, were spotted by a night watchman at dawn yesterday near the Wiltshire town of Trowbridge. By the time a band of local authority rat catchers turned out, they had vanished. Local environmental officer, Mr Bill Grey, said: “It`s very unusual for rats to move in such numbers.” Naturalists have reported that a super-breed of rats, resistant to all normal poisons, is thriving in the rural counties of western England and starting to spread across the southern part of the country.' (3)

I wonder what became of these super-rats? Trowbridge is a rather Fortean town. I believe there was a shower of frogs there, c.1930s.

DOG FRIGHT: 'A police dog is missing at East Hanney, Oxfordshire, after running from a screeching sound it heard in woods while undergoing night training.' (4) I have written a note above this: November 20th 1964 Mystery animal seen at Nettlebed, Oxfordshire, Puma? Alien Animals [the book by the Bords]

DORMICE CLUE TO ROMAN BRITAIN: 'Discovery of the remains of three garden dormice not previously found in Britain has led archaeologists to believe that Roman Britain was not self-sufficient in grain. The presence of the dormice in the grain store discovered at South Shields suggests that they were taken there in bags of grain imported from abroad to feed the garrison.' (5)

GOOSE`S METEORIC FALL: 'A wild goose is thought to have been killed in mid-air by a falling meteoroite. Farmer Duncan Tesloss, of Polebrooke, Northants, was watching a flock passing overhead. “Suddenly there was a blue flash,” he says. "Something like a laser beam hit one of the geese and it dropped like a stone.”' (6)

And finally…FIRE FIGHTER: 'Firemen believe a blaze which damaged three homes in Paulsgrove, Hampshire, may have been caused by starling carrying a smouldering cigarette end back to its rooftop nest.' (7)

1. The Daily Mail. May 26th 1926.
2. The Guardian. April 29th 1986
3. South China Morning Post. November 10th 1982
4. The Guardian October 25th 1986
5. The Daily Telegraph February 17th 1987
6. The People March 22nd 1987
7. Daily Mirror March 13th 1987


Sorry no time for song lyrics tonight, however I conclude with a poem I wrote at the age of 10. (Yes, I know its ageist,but give me a break, I was only 10!)

OLD AGE

Weak,poor,crippled,old
Eighty,empty,alone,
Biscuits,cat,silence,mould,
Dog,clock,groan.