Animal Tales (Some a little fishy)
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Learn about:
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An opossum who enjoyed X-rated movies.
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A canine thief with an appetite for eggs.
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A man who lost out on $38,000 in valuable pearls because he liked his oysters cooked instead of raw.
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Strange events and creatures off the California coast.
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A recipe for Pius IV’s favorite dish — frog livers.
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A statewide event where California school children were asked to kill as many ground squirrels as possible, verifying their kills by bringing the tails to school!
These are but a few of the stories largely centered around Long Beach, California, which have appeared over the past 130 years. Most have remained forgotten, until now. How much is true and how much “tongue in cheek” I will leave up to the reader to decide. In any case, they are fun, humorous and sure to entertain.
Read Kate Karp’s review in the Long Beach Post.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
DOGS
Thievery
Loyalty
Rescuers
Mother Love
A “Taxing” Situation
Presidential Pet
Missing You
Biting and Barking
Memories
CATS
Dreaming of Cats
Regulating Cats
Home Sweet Home
Climbing Cats
Earthquake Cat
HORSES
Willmore City
Civil Servants
Suicidal Horse?
Rough Riders
Horse vs. Machine
Irish Sweepstakes
COWS AND CATTLE
Moo
Wandering Cows
Cattle Rustling
GOATS
Milk Business
Goat Rustling
Regulating Goats
BEARS
Pet Bears
Wrestling Bears
MONKEYS
Monkey Fits
Monkey Business
SKUNKS
Invading Skunks
Pet Skunks
RACCOONS
Member of the Family
Troublesome
OPOSSUMS
Intruders
Movie Lovers
Hitchhikers
RABBITS
Pesty Rabbits
Raising Rabbits
Pet Rabbits
Airport Hazards
BIRDS
Pigeons
Pelicans
Chickens
Turkeys
Ostriches
Ducks
Talkers and Singers
RODENTS
Rats
Gophers
Ground Squirrels
Grey Squirrels
AQUATIC MAMMALS
Sea Lions
Whales
FISHY TALES
A Bit Hard to Swallow
A Strange Event
Sea Serpents
FROGS and TOADS
An Invasion
Frog Farming
It’s Alive!
REPTILES
Turtles and Tortoises
Snakes
Alligators
HUNTING
Gun Clubs
Coyote Hunting
Jackrabbits
Pet Food
ZOOS
Nu-Pike
Zoo Cruise
EPILOGUE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
A
Airport, 2, 47, 85-87
Alamitos Bay, 116, 136-137, 150
Alamitos Townsite, 119
Alligators, 143, 145-147
Animal shelter, 14, 22, 25, 29, 31, 75, 79, 81,145, 146, 156, 157-158
ASPCA. See: Humane Society
Aviation, 46-47, 85, 100
B
Balboa Film Studio, 62
Bears, 62-66, 143, 156, 159, 160
Belmont Pier, 70
Bixby Park, 70, 119
C
Canaries, 103-104
Catalina Island, 116-117, 128, 129, 130
Cats, 7, 9-11, 12-15, 26-40, 76-79, 83, 91, 109, 153
Cattle, 50-56, 151
Chickens, 13-14, 59, 60-61, 71, 93-95, 96
Coyotes, 14, 87, 151-152
D
Dogs, 3-25, 28, 31-32, 36, 37, 86, 90, 105-106, 107, 113, 125, 151, 152
E
Eagles, 122, 145
Endangered Species Act, 89, 137
F
Fire Department, 35-37, 41-44, 134, 137-138
Fish, 69, 75, 91-92, 116, 125, 126-127, 150
Frogs and toads, 131-134
G
Get Out and Push railway, 39-40
Goats, 57-61
Gophers, 82, 107-110
Graves, Billy, 82-83, 126-127, 135-136
Ground squirrels, 110-113. See also: Squirrels
Gun clubs, 76. 148-150
H
Horses, 1, 2, 6-7, 39-49, 151, 152, 153
Humane Society, 7, 11
Hunting, 86, 92, 111-112, 140
L
Lakewood, 7, 86, 148-149
Libraries, 119-121, 122
Lincoln Park. See: Pacific Park
Lions, 143, 155, 156-157, 159, 160
Loop, John, 123-124
M
Mice, 30, 82, 105
Monkeys, 67-69, 138, 143, 156, 157-159
N
Nu-Pike. See: Pike Amusement Zone
O
Opossums, 76-81
Ostriches, 97-99, 159
Oysters, 126, 137
P
Pacific Park, 40, 105, 117-119, 121, 145, 146
Parrots, 100-102
Parakeets, 102-103
Peacocks, 122, 145
Pelicans, 89-93, 156
Pigeons, 88-89
Pike Amusement Zone, 17, 32, 95, 96, 144, 146, 155-159
Prehistoric animals, 1-2, 130
R
Rabbits, 60, 61, 82-87, 88, 152-153
Raccoons, 73-75, 152
Rancho Los Alamitos, 4-5, 62, 148, 151, 152-153
Rancho Los Cerritos, 11, 62, 148, 151
Rats, 17, 30, 82, 83, 99, 105-107, 120
Recreation Park, 155
S
San Clemente Island, 129-130, 153
Sea gulls, 91, 93
Sea serpents, 127-130
Seals and sea lions, 116-117, 153-154
Schools, 62, 85, 88, 101, 111-112, 141
Sharks, 125, 153
Signal Hill, 1, 19, 41, 53-54, 55, 57, 98
Skunks, 70-72
Snakes, 69, 82, 139-144
Squirrels, 82, 113-115
T
Turkeys, 95-96
Turtles and tortoises, 135-139, 142
V
Virginia Country Club, 11, 114-115
W
Whales, 116, 117-124, 128, 153
Willmore City, 39-41
Z
Zoos, 64, 138, 141, 142-144, 155-160