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Animals in British History

Can you guess these types of animals that made an appearance in the history of the United Kingdom?
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: July 17, 2023
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First submittedOctober 25, 2020
Times taken20,985
Average score70.0%
Rating4.33
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Answer
One of these, named Dolly, was cloned in Edinburgh in 1996
Sheep
The two animals which spread the Black Death
Flea
Rat
After contentious Parliamentary debate, the hunting of this animal was banned in the 2000s
Fox
According to legend, the crown will fall if these birds leave the Tower of London
Ravens
Winston Churchill was often compared to this breed of dog
Bulldog
Mythical animal considered a symbol of Wales
Dragon
Mythical animal considered a symbol of Scotland
Unicorn
Animal considered a symbol of England
Lion
Many kings sought to rid the realm of this animal. The last one in Britain was killed in 1680.
Wolf
Breed of dog famously owned by Queen Elizabeth II
Corgi
These birds were used to send messages in WWI
Homing pigeon
Horse breed whose lineage is traced to three stallions imported to England around 1700
Thoroughbred
By law, any of these birds found on open water belong to the king
Swan
Throughout history, royals favored the luxurious white fur of this animal
Ermine
Type of fish used to make kippers, once a common tea time treat
Herring
Animal that T.E. Lawrence rode across the Sinai Peninsula
Camel
Bird brought into coal mines to detect carbon monoxide, finally phased out in the 1980s
Canary
Aquatic creature that was jellied and eaten by London's poor from the 18th–20th centuries
Eel
In the original nursery rhyme, four and twenty naughty boys were baked in a pie.
Later, naughty boys were changed to these.
Blackbirds
+26
Level 72
Oct 26, 2020
I thought that thoroughbred simply means pure blooded. I didn't know it's an actual breed.

I did enjoy the quiz. It puts an interesting spin or accent on history.

+6
Level 61
Nov 22, 2020
That's my thought. If you were looking for a 20th question, why not go more modern: 'The culling of which animal is the subject of controversy for its alleged spreading of TB to cattle?' (Answer: Badger)
+22
Level 84
Oct 26, 2020
You forgot about the vicious Chicken of Bristol that Brave Sir Robin nearly stood up to.
+5
Level 70
Nov 23, 2020
♬ When danger reared its ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled ♫

♬ ♪ Brave, Brave, Brave, Brave Sir Robin ♪ ♫

+3
Level 63
Nov 26, 2020
I never!
+3
Level 39
Jan 16, 2021
Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about

And gallantly he chickened out.

+2
Level 82
Oct 26, 2020
Enjoyed that :)
+1
Level 84
Oct 26, 2020
It should probably be "The two animals alleged to have spread the Black Death". I've seen reports that it was gerbils, not rats, that spread the Black Death.
+31
Level 76
Oct 28, 2020
Anti-gerbil revisionist history
+1
Level 78
Nov 6, 2020
Surely, whether it's rate or gerbils, they only carry the things that carry the disease? Namely, the fleas themselves? Or did I miss something at school?
+1
Level 72
Nov 9, 2020
Agreed @Eccehomo, that question threw me. It could probably do with a slight rewording.

Good quiz though.

+1
Level 40
Nov 24, 2020
I didn't even think of fleas. Sigh
+2
Level 21
May 13, 2022
i dont think thats right
+3
Level 83
Dec 16, 2022
While some do consider gerbils to have been responsible for bringing the plague to Europe, it seems vastly unlikely that they would have been responsible for such widespread and rapid outbreaks in Britain, an island with no native gerbils.
+1
Level 65
Aug 14, 2023
I never realized a flea was an animal.
+3
Level 45
Aug 14, 2023
What else could it be then?
+1
Level 66
Mar 26, 2024
Must be one of those people that think only mammals are animals. I have seen it so often in this site. Otherwise I have no idea what they think it could be
+1
Level 83
Nov 22, 2020
Godolphin would have been more appropriate than thoroughbred.
+7
Level 59
Nov 22, 2020
"By law, any of these birds found on open water belong to the queen" Not strictly true, it's not any swan that belongs to the Queen. We have three species of swans in the UK, and only one of them belongs to the Queen: Mute Swans. Whooper and Bewick Swans are not covered by that particular law.
+5
Level 74
Jan 27, 2021
Agreed, it's only the Mute Swan that is considered property of the Crown -- yet mute swan is not even accepted as a type-in. (I do agree that swan should be accepted as a type-in though). Please fix this, and I suggest that the answer display as mute swan, not swan. Cheers. (For the record, I personally think swans, including mute swans, belong only to themselves.)
+1
Level 57
Nov 22, 2020
I remember taking this quiz when zero people had done it.
+3
Level 71
Nov 22, 2020
Jellied eels??? I swear, I will never understand British cuisine.
+7
Level 40
Nov 24, 2020
It's not a widley done thing, I'd never even heard of this prior to this quiz AND it does say 18th-20th so people don't really do it anymore.
+4
Level 83
Dec 16, 2022
and additionally 'poor people'... eels were extremely common historically and if you're starving you will eat whatever is abundant
+3
Level 74
Jan 27, 2021
Many cultures jelly fishes in their cuisines (e.g. Scandinavian, Japanese, Jewish). Live a little.
+10
Level 70
Nov 23, 2020
Surely "human" is also an animal that spread the Black Death?
+1
Level 56
Aug 12, 2023
This is just crying out for a "yer mum" joke but I fear I might get banned :-|
+2
Level 40
Nov 24, 2020
I still find it cool that the animals we have as our symbols are all top of the range in their respective fields. Lion is considered one of the top predators, Unicorn is basically a super horse and I think Dragons speak for themselves.
+1
Level 66
Mar 26, 2024
Well ofcourse they or going to pick the weakest and most drab and pathetic animals. ( though I think most if not all are interesting in their own right. but interesting, or even awesome, does not equal cool)
+3
Level 75
Jun 7, 2021
There are plans to reintroduce wolves to Scotland, I for one hope it goes ahead.
+2
Level 64
Aug 12, 2023
Me too! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
+1
Level 56
Aug 12, 2023
I don't know... it sort of sounds nice in theory, but I suppose it means almost for a certainty that some hiker at some point is going to get killed who wouldn't have been otherwise - that's one of the main reasons why they got rid of them in the first place.
+3
Level 55
Mar 11, 2023
In the swan question, “Queen” should be replaced by “monarch”.
+3
Level 65
Aug 12, 2023
Mythical or not, unicorns are not "considered" a symbol of Scotland. They are our national animal, officially.
+2
Level 66
Aug 14, 2023
Damn, I didn't get Ermine but I did guess Mink. Which is different! But it's very very very similar... But different!
+1
Level 66
Mar 26, 2024
I typed minx first.. then stoat which was accepted
+1
Level 72
Mar 12, 2024
No salmon in suspicious circumstances?