Doggedly searching for the crux of the biscuit.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is doing its bit to combat counterfeiting.
Genuine tiger genitalia are unlikely to be found for sale in a public shop or market. What is sold as tiger usually comes from cattle—after undergoing some modification. The accurate identification of genitalia from tiger (Panthera tigris) can be achieved only by knowledge of what a genuine tiger penis looks like and by comparison with modified and unmodified penises of other species. [...] Because genuine tiger penises are so rare, the buying public apparently no longer knows what a real tiger penis looks like. Artisans, therefore, must fabricate barbed penises out of cattle and deer genitals to replicate an appearance based on myth and public demand.
Artisans, indeed. Figure 5 ("Extravagantly carved tip of a bull's penis.") is pretty impressive work, even if it doesn't look like a real tiger penis.
We have here the potential for a very disturbing Calvin & Hobbes strip.
Posted by: Gaijin Biker at May 21, 2007 12:57 AMI see that our government is busy at work trying to clear up market confusion, which will help to drive up the price of the real thing, thereby increasing returns to poachers.
Good work!
Posted by: TokyoTom at May 21, 2007 01:27 AM