From dancing horses to showers of living cats and dogs, this book presents the peculiar history of performing animals and zoological wonders. The Cat Orchestra & the Elephant Butler presents astounding tales from across the rich folklore of the animal kingdom: a learned pig more admired than Sir Isaac Newton by the English public, an elephant that Lord Byron wanted to employ as his butler, and a dancing horse whose skills in mathematics were praised by William Shakespeare. Jan Bondeson tells ten fascinating stories of myths and hoaxes, beliefs and Ripley-like facts, concerning the animal kingdom. Throughout he recounts - and in some instances solves - mysteries of the natural world which have puzzled scientists for centuries.