We often use our friends from the animal kingdom to characterize the
behavior of our fellow human beings, "She eats like a pig... he is savage
as a wolf..." These terms are frequently unfair -- the word hircine used
to refer to goats but has another sense indicating a lustful nature. Are
goats lascivious? Who are we to say?

This week's AWAD presents more words in a similar vein. So the next time you
employ one of these words to figuratively refer to a two-legged creature
around you, be careful. You may be slandering someone -- the four-legged
one.