Dingbat – [Fearsome Critter]

Description

Dingbat – Latin name: Bunkeri edithil. (Wyman)

• About this critter: An unusual flying animal from Ricelake, Wisconsin. Often described as more ‘Owl-Like’ than bat (but just as often described as a mix of the two or a mammal-bird hybrid.) it has horns similar to a Jackalopes. Occasionally, It lets out a startling whinnie like that of a horse causing nearby marksman to miss their targets, It rejoices in the misery of deadshot deer-hunters, dining on their lead bullets plucked from mid-air. Its incredibly fast and it makes a game of catching shots that would have been sure to hit the target. To make matters worse, chases down the shots with the gasoline from the hunters automobiles, leading to a long and arduous walk home…

• History: The most well known taxidermy specimen of the dingbat was put on display at the “Friendly Buck-horn” tavern in the 1950s & featured on a number of promotional postcards.

[image source: chuckstoyland] – The back of the postcard reads: “The DINGBAT” is a very unusual flying animal. It whinnies like a horse and lives on a diet of gasoline seasoned with bullets this “DINGBAT” was captured by the local chapter of “Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Deer Hunters ” and is on Display at the “FRIENDLY BUCKHORN” – it is one of many strange creatures native to the area near Rice Lake.”

The Dingbat later had some news attention, featured in an article called “Folklore: the states mythical creatures” in 1978 promoting Walker D Wyman’s book “Mythical creatures of the north country” (His wife & artist Helen, gave it a beak instead.)

The dingbat is also one of many critters alliterated about in Lenwoods Lexicon of Lumberwoods Lore (2019)

There’s also a Terry Toon short titled DINGBAT LAND [1949] starring Gandygoose and Sourpuss, the two enter a storybook in order to hunt the mythical dingbat. (which appears to be much more duckling like.)

• Etymology: At one point the term ‘Dingbat’ meant an “unknown alcoholic drink” [1838] – during civil wars & prohibition the slang evolved to become “a bullet (or generally any sort of missile)” – By 1905, it seems to have become an offshoot of the word “Dingus.” –The Latin name for the critter: “Bunkeri edithil” (given by Wyman in the 70’s) honours Edith Bunker from All In The Family [1971-1979] who was often called such by her husband. – To call someone a “Dingbat” is to call them “unusual, silly, foolish or stupid.” – well, I don’t think that her husband can say that he had a mythical creature named after him, good for her.

Sticker art by @samkalensky part of my fearsome critters collection of stickers, check my shop and follow me for many more 🙂