Animal Selection Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pig

The 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed military operation launched by Cuban exiles with US support. Some 1,500 troops were involved along with various US agencies, although attempts were made to keep US involvement secret. There were many elements to the invasion including different forms of misdirection. It failed with various factors contributing including strong Cuban resistance, poor planning and intelligence, misreading of the Cuban political situation and inadequate logistics.

Answer: Elephant

The clue is a reference to the 1980 biographical film "The Elephant Man" where British actor John Hurt has the role of John Merrick, the 19th century artist who was affected by severe physical deformities. Merrick had himself exhibited in a freak show under the stage name "The Elephant Man". He spent his last years at the London Hospital through the assistance of surgeon Frederick Treves, who later wrote a book about Merrick, "The Elephant Man and Other Reminiscences" (1923), on which the screenplay was partly based.

Answer: Cat

Mr Mistoffelees is a character in the 1981 musical "Cats" which itself is based on T S Eliot's 1939 poetry book "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats". He in turn takes his name from the demon Mephistopheles of German folklore, who acts as the devil's agent when Faust makes his pact with the devil. The cat incarnation is less devilish and more mysterious, 'The Original Conjuring Cat' (to quote Eliot). In the musical, he is a young tuxedo (black and white) cat that has magical skills which he has not quite mastered.

Answer: Horse

America in this case is the folk rock trio formed in London in 1970 by the sons of US Air Force personnel stationed there. One of their hit singles was "A Horse with No Name" (1971), which is what the question refers to. The single was included as a bonus track in a re-release version of their debut album and in all subsequent versions, boosting the album's appeal.

In the 1971 single release, the song was one of three singles. The 1972 US release of the single just had the two songs, reflecting the market appeal of the individual songs.

Answer: Tiger

Chatoyancy, also known as the cat's eye effect, is that property seen in certain woods and gemstones where distinct bands of reflected light appear to move as the observer's position changes. It has been likened to the sheen off silk. It comes from the French phrase 'oeil de chat', meaning "cat's eye".

There are several minerals that have this property. In this case it is tiger's eye quartz.

Answer: Deer

This is not a reference to the 1941 comic farce novel by Compton Mackenzie, nor the Neil Gaiman novella, nor the British TV series which ran to 64 episodes from February 2000. None of those are particularly animal-focussed. It is a reference to the 1851 oil painting by Edwin Landseer which features a red deer stag. Popular during the 19th century, the painting is strongly associated with the Highlands of Scotland.

It became a bit of a cliché as the ultimate biscuit tin image, being used to sell McVitie's shortbread amongst others.

The painting was bought by the National Galleries of Scotland in 2017.

Answer: Wolf

Ovine attire is another way of saying sheep's clothing, a reference to the idiom "a wolf in sheep's clothing" which warns against people with malicious intent who come across as of kind or pleasant disposition. Written origins for the idiom can be traced to the Bible and Matthew 7:15 in the New Testament which records the teachings during the Sermon on the Mount.

There is also the 12th century Greek version (in the "Progymnasmata" by Nikephoros Basilakis) where the outcome is that the wolf is killed as a result of its sheep-skin disguise.

Answer: Snake

The Columbia River is the largest in the Pacific North-west region of the continent. It has 14 major tributaries with the Snake River being the largest of them at around 1,080 miles (1,740 km) long and the only one bearing the name of an animal. It lies entirely within the US and joins the Columbia at the confluence of the Snake, Yakima and Columbia at the Tri-Cities in Washington. It rises in Yellowstone National Park and drains parts of six states along its watercourse. It has around 20 of its own tributaries.

Answer: Moth

The jumping bean is the larva-infested seed pod of a shrub, the Mexican native Sebastiania pavoniana. It is not a bean as such. The jumping part is caused by the larva of the Cydia saltitans moth which is also native to Mexico. The moths lay eggs on the shrub's seed pods in the spring.

When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow into the pods and begin to eat them. When mature, the pods drop off and split into three segments which are the 'jumping beans' and in which the larvae live for several months.

The jumping appears to be a survival strategy with the larvae trying jump the pods into shade to avoid high temperatures. Small silver and grey moths emerge in the spring, living long enough to begin the cycle again.

Answer: Lion

This is a reference to the folk tale where Androceles earns a lion's gratitude by removing a thorn from its paw. In an early recounting of the tale by the 1st century Egyptian Apion, none of whose original works survive, Androcles was an escaped slave who, on being recaptured, was condemned to be eaten by wild animals in the Circus Maximus. One of the wild animals was the lion he had helped.

The lion's affection saved both of them and they spent their time wandering the city streets together as celebrities.