Name that animal!

I could go on an on about the illness swirling around me and how I am staying well despite untold snot dousings (mostly from Biscuit but Mr. H may have provided a few in his sleep). The chorus of coughs makes me wonder if I'm not living in some sort of tuberculosis quarantine (they just have colds but nasty coughs). But I won't go on and on and will instead focus on a very confusing Christmas gift.

Biscuit got this little people animal alphabet toy from her Aunt. Mercifully it came broken and only the A, B and C sing their tune about the animal. Mr. H wanted to return it but I overruled and reminded him of how much we already hate the song for the fridge alphabet toy. "Every letter makes a sound, T says 'tuh', T says 'tuh'" You got that one?

Anyway, I digress again.

This animal toy is an excellent fit for Biscuit's OCD tendencies (must line things up!) and her current obsession with letters. She is also quite fond of animals and slept with the X-ray Fish last night.

So, a clear fish with just a skeleton and a letter "X" emblazoned on his (her?) chest. An X-ray Fish. I got that one. The tall, yellow, spotted animal with the long neck and the "G"? Gotta be a giraffe.

But the small brown bird with wings open wide and an "N"? What is that? A Nuthatch? You can see it in the back of the top photo.

And what about the apparent Bighorn Sheep with a "U" on it? I thought I knew my animals but the "U" has me stumped. The vulture also appears confused. Shouldn't he (she?) be sitting by a Umbrella Bird? That's the U animal in our animal alphabet book.

I'm also wondering what that tiger has in mind for the seal. He is posed in a menacing pouncing posture.

So, if you can definitively tell me what the N and U are supposed to be, I will give you....gratitude. And perhaps another photo of the carefully aligned zoo.

I'm off to spend some time with a glass of wine and a serger I have on loan. This is unlikely to be a good combination!

Comments

[Jill]

The sheep must be a Urial (thank you San Diego Zoo). I'm guessing the bird is a Nightingale. I think Fisher-Price was reaching a little bit on these two letters!

[farfromca]

Guess you didn't save the box, eh? Squeaker got this from santa... yes, nightingale and urial. Also, biscuit almost got this last christmas... so glad i saved you from the noise, oh the noise!!! our batteries will be dead very soon, i am positive.

[Swistle]

"Urial" is REALLY REACHING. And..."Xray fish"?

We have that fridge phonics toy, too. I'll be in the shower or doing laundry, and I'm thinking "Every letter makes a sound, the t says TUH!"

[christine]

Oh, my neice has this. I thought it was broken too when we opened it, but the toy was just set to "test" mode. Look on the back near the battery area (i think) and pull out the little strip whcih will activate the other letters.