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A Scatological Quiz

Not such a mucky quiz as you might think! There are a number of specific words for the droppings of animals and I started wondering about words related to this. The result is this quiz! So, get a peg for your nose and get stuck in.

A multiple-choice quiz by Mink. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Mink

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
194,029

Updated
Apr 09 23

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
2803

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The word that started me off on this quiz is FEWMET but which creature has droppings referred to as fewmets? Hint

Deer

Fox

Ferret

Donkey

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Question 2 of 10

2. Even dinosaurs and other ancient creatures left traces behind in the form of droppings which we can still see today. What are fossilised droppings called? Hint

Dungoliths

Coprolites

Droposaurs

Crapolites

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. I like this next word! Which of the following creatures would be most likely to leave a pile of telltale FRASS? Hint

Rabbit

Elephant

Mouse

Woodworm

4. The next word is maybe better known and sounds like it should be an injury of some sort - or maybe an Olympic sport! The word is SPRAINT - which animal might you be tracking if you were looking for spraints? Hint

Boar

Deer

Wild Cat

Otter

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. My next word is obsolete but would have been very familiar to a mediaeval or Tudor huntsman. Which of his hunting assistants would have produced MUTES? Hint

Stable Boy

Horse

Hawk

Dog

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Which plant's name actually means "dung on a twig"? Hint

Mistletoe

Poplar

Magnolia

Orchid

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Mozart supposedly suffered from Tourette's syndrome. A feature of this condition is the sudden and repeated use of foul and socially unacceptable language - but what is the technical word for this? Hint

Crapolia

Bulloralia

Coprolalia

Goblalia

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. This next one's one I think you may have heard of. Guano is used as fertiliser in many places and it's a type of dung. Bats produce guano but what other creatures has guano traditionally been collected from? Hint

Cows

Sea birds

Elephants

Antelopes

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. I suppose if I was REALLY interested in dung I could take it up as a career. If I did what would be the name of the science I was involved in? Hint

Scatology

Poohology

Dungology

Crapology

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Which country has the world's first museum of excrement? Hint

England

France

USA

Italy

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The word that started me off on this quiz is FEWMET but which creature has droppings referred to as fewmets?

Answer: Deer

I first came across this word in TH White's book "The Once and Future King" which is the story of King Arthur. King Pellinore is hunting in the forests and he tracks deer by looking for fewmets (or fumets).

2. Even dinosaurs and other ancient creatures left traces behind in the form of droppings which we can still see today. What are fossilised droppings called?

Answer: Coprolites

OK - I made the others up! Coprolite is the fossilised droppings of fish, reptiles, mammals and birds - the word is made up from 2 Greek words meaning dung and stone.

3. I like this next word! Which of the following creatures would be most likely to leave a pile of telltale FRASS?

Answer: Woodworm

Unbelievable as it seems there actually IS a word for the droppings left by wood-boring larvae! Even more amazing is that the word comes from an old German word fressen which means to eat (Source: Chambers 20th Century Dictionary).

Answer: Otter

Wildlife enthusiasts got quite excited some years ago when they started seeing spraints on the banks of British rivers! Otters had become pretty rare and the sightings of spraints told people that they were beginning to recover their numbers again. They can now be seen in many rivers - even some which run through towns and cities. Spraints apparently smell somewhat fishy, should you want to smell them!

5. My next word is obsolete but would have been very familiar to a mediaeval or Tudor huntsman. Which of his hunting assistants would have produced MUTES?

Answer: Hawk

Mutes was the word used for bird faeces and in particular the droppings of hawks. The derivation appears to be unclear.

6. Which plant's name actually means "dung on a twig"?

Answer: Mistletoe

Apparently this comes from the two words mistel (dung) and tan (twig) because mistletoe often grows where birds have left their droppings, presumably containing a mistletoe seed in its own ready-made compost. It traditionally grows on oak or apple trees but may be seen on other species.

Answer: Coprolalia

The obsessive or repetitive use of obscene language from the Greek words copro (dung) and lalia (tongue). There are a number of words beginning with copro-, including coprophagia which means to eat dung. Rabbits often do this as a way of recycling the undigested grass and leaves - sounds disgusting to humans but it's efficient for them! Oh yes - I made the other 3 words up.

Answer: Sea birds

The word comes from the Peruvian word huanu meaning dung and can now also refer to artificially produced manure, particularly that made from fish (definition from Chambers 20th Century Dictionary).

9. I suppose if I was REALLY interested in dung I could take it up as a career. If I did what would be the name of the science I was involved in?

Answer: Scatology

Yes - the scientific study of dung (or whatever else you wish to call it) is scatology.

10. Which country has the world's first museum of excrement?

Answer: Italy

The Museo Della Merda is the world's first museum entirely dedicated to excrement. Located in the village of Castelbosco, it was started by a cattle farmer and opened in 2015. In principle, it was dedicated to ecological transmutation and sustainability. The museum has patented Merdacotta, a form of baked dung, and transforms it to different household items.

Source: Author Mink

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ozzz2002 before going online.
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