Dog days and dandelions

"Word hound Martha Barnette collects more than 300 common (and a few not-so-common) words and names that have surprising animal roots. Tracing word origins back to ancient Greek and Latin as well as to European roots and American slang, the entries offer a guided tour through literature, science, folklore, politics, and more - with a wilderness of animal meanings at every turn.". "For fledgling word sleuths as well as those who fawn over etymologies, this is a smorgasbord for writers, students, and word lovers."--BOOK JACKET.