As surely as every dog has its day, nearly every animal in the kingdom has its way with our language. In Animalogies, bestselling etymological author Michael Macrone works his way through many a genus and species to shed light on how some of the more colorful and kooky animal analogies, metaphors, and fables found their way into our everyday speech. Macrone talks turkey about why clams are happy, crocodiles shed tears, and chickens are chicken - except when they are cocky. He pulls the ostrich's head out of the sand, tests the memory of elephants, and tries to ride the dark horse. And he reveals the origins of such fabulous beasts as teh bugbear, the dingbat, and Welsh rabbit. More than just a book of phrases, Animalogies is a wealth of information about the curious lives and habits of animals.