THE LATEST EPISODE OF `ON THE TRACK`...

...is the latest casualty of the swine flu, which has laid all three of us low to a greater or lesser extent. Max is coming over Sunday, so I will do it with him then....

CATS AND DOGGIE EARS

I have done some stupid things in my life, but sitting in my study - with sweat dripping off me, as I cough my guts out and pray for a swift and merciful release - whilst trying to take close-up pictures of the ears of an uncooperative bulldog bitch (and believe me, the word 'bitch` is quite intentiional) is one of the stupidist.

I have kept dogs since I was 25, but they have all been basically collies, or collie crosses, and to the best of my recollection they had ordinary doggy ears.

Prudence, however, has ears like a cat, with a slit down the side. Pru, btw, is featured in the top picture, Spider (aka Orange Cat) in the bottom one.

I am not for one moment claiming that this
is a momentous discovery on my part, but I wonder whether anyone in bloggoland (and my best bets would be Karl, Scottie, or Darren, with a stupid answer froim Davey C) can answer the following questions.

1. Do all bulldogs have ears like this?
2. Why?
3. What other breeds have them?
4. What is their purpose?
5. How long does swine flu take to go away?

ARCHIVING PROJECT: General Forteana Part 36

As you know, Oll has been working on the archiving project since early February 2009 and he is now working on a general mish-mash of a section known as `General Forteana`.

This 36th collection once again really is a collection of completely uncategoriseable stuff, including strange wind, a thief with an honest business card, a mystery man in nappies left in a car park, Uri Geller, Anna Anderson and lots more. It doesn't get much better than this. Good stuff.
HERE

OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/

Happy new year to everyone; regardless of how 2010 was for you, I hope 2011 goes better.

On this day in 1801 Giuseppe Piazzi discovered the dwarf planet Ceres in the asteroid belt. Ceres makes up 32% of the asteroid belt's total mass and scientists believe there may be an ocean of liquid water beneath it’s surface. And now, the news:

"Eat' Em" Stratagem for Lionfish Invasion in Flori...
Reader spots swan with frozen beak on river at Otl...
Tagged flamingo to show bird's migratory routes
Seven Brazilian bird species granted endangered st...
Secret lives of baby American beavers filmed
The smile that says rescued Mely the orangutan lov...

And what better way to start off the year than with an orangutan:
http://video.uk.msn.com/watch/video/whistling-orangutan/vcb62qj9