Taxonomy from the Porter

Railway Porter (to Old Lady travelling with a Menagerie of Pets). “’STATION MASTER SAY, MUM, AS CATS IS ‘DOGS,’ AND RABBITS IS ‘DOGS,’ AND SO’S PARROTS; BUT THIS ’ERE ‘TORTIS’ IS A INSECT, SO THERE AIN’T NO CHARGE FOR IT!”

Charles Keene ~ 1869

I’ve been looking for the original of this cartoon for years. It’s much quoted, sometimes with a “tortis” and sometimes with “hinsect” or other variations on rabbits and cats.

Thanks to http://www.wandleys.demon.co.uk/punchpix.htm and a collection of Punch cartoons about trains.