A collective noun (or collective name) is a name which denotes or represents a number of individual items. For example, a number of sheep together is known as a 'flock'. The word 'flock' is the collective noun for a number of sheep. Some items have multiple collective nouns, for example a collection of goats can be known as a 'herd', a 'tribe' or a 'trip'.
Ambush is the collective noun for a group of tigers.
Army is the collective noun for a group of frogs, ants,
Array is the collective noun for a group of hedgehogs.
Badelynge is the collective noun for a group of ducks on the ground.
Bale is the collective noun for a group of turtles.
Barren is the collective noun for a group of mules.
Basket is the collective noun for a group of plums.
Battery is the collective noun for a group of barracuda.
Bazaar is the collective noun for a group of guillemots.
Bed is the collective noun for a group of clams.
Bench is the collective noun for a group of bishops, magistrates.
Bevy is the collective noun for a group of quail, roes, swans, pheasants, ladies.
Brace is the collective noun for a group of bucks.
Brood is the collective noun for a group of chickens.
Building is the collective noun for a group of rooks.
Bunch is the collective noun for a group of grapes, flowers.
Bundle is the collective noun for a group of asparagus.
Business is the collective noun for a group of ferrets.
Caravan is the collective noun for a group of camels.
Cast is the collective noun for a group of hawks, falcons.
Cete is the collective noun for a group of badgers.
Charm is the collective noun for a group of goldfinches.
Chatter is the collective noun for a group of budgerigars.
Chattering is the collective noun for a group of choughs.
Chine is the collective noun for a group of polecats.
Clamour is the collective noun for a group of rooks.
Clous is the collective noun for a group of gnats.
Clowder is the collective noun for a group of cats.
Clump is the collective noun for a group of trees.
Cluster is the collective noun for a group of grapes, spiders.
Clutch is the collective noun for a group of eggs.
Clutter is the collective noun for a group of spiders.
Colony is the collective noun for a group of gulls, frogs, penguins, ants, beavers.
Company is the collective noun for a group of widgeon, parrots.
Congregation is the collective noun for a group of plovers.
Convocation is the collective noun for a group of eagles.
Covert is the collective noun for a group of coots.
Covey is the collective noun for a group of partridges, grouse.
Crash is the collective noun for a group of rhinoceros.
A maze is a confusing network of passages and winding interconnecting paths.
A maze was a British measurement for herring equal to 615 fish. Research Maze
The anchovy is a small fish (Engraulis encrasicholus) of the herring family. It is fished extensively, being abundant in the Mediterranean, and is also found on the Atlantic coast of Europe and in the Black Sea. It grows to 20 centimetres. Pungently flavoured, it is processed into fish pastes and essences, and used as a garnish, rather than eaten fresh. Research Anchovy
The coal-fish or coalfish (Pollachius virens) also called the Saithe, Coley and Greencod, is a predaceous member of the cod family, distinguished by its dark, almost black back, white lateral line, and long lower jaw with a barbel. It extends from the Arctic to the Mediterranean. It feeds on other fish, particularly herring. Research Coal-fish
The Cycloid Fishes are an order of fishes according to the arrangement of Agassiz, having smooth, round, or oval scales, such as for example the salmon and herring. The scales are formed of concentric layers, not covered with enamel and not spinous on the margins; they are generally imbricated, but are sometimes placed side by side without overlapping. Research Cycloid Fishes
The Dolphin (formerly also known as a sea-goose) is a genus of cetaceans. The flesh is coarse, rank, and disagreeable, but is used by the Laplanders as food. Dolphins live on fish, mollusca, etc, and often may be seen in numbers round shoals of herring. The animal has to come to the surface at short intervals to breathe. The blow-hole is of a semilunar form, with a kind of valvular apparatus, and opens on the vertex, nearly over the eyes. The structure of the ear renders the sense of hearing very acute, and the animal is observed to be attracted by regular or harmonious sounds. One or two young are produced by the female, who suckles and watches them with great care and anxiety, long after they have acquired considerable size. Compactness and strength are the characteristics of the genus. Dolphins are renowned for being highly intelligent and friendly towards swimmers and ships. Research Dolphin
The Gannet or Solan goose (Sula bassana) is a British sea bird of the family Pelecanidae. It is about one metre long with a wing span of 180 cm and the plumage is dirty white or grey. The bill is straight, and about 15 centimetres long and furnished beneath with a kind of pouch. The gannets are birds of passage, arriving in Great Britain about March and departing in August or September, their movements being partially determined by those of the herring, on which they feed. They migrate to the southward in the winter, and appear on the coast of Portugal. In the breeding season they retire to high rocks on unfrequented islands, such as the Hebrides, Orkneys, St Kilda, AilsaGraig, and the Bass Rock. The nests are generally formed of sea-weed. The female lays only one egg, though, if it is removed, she will deposit another. The young, which are much darker than the old birds, remain in the nest until nearly their full size, becoming extremely fat. In St Kilda they traditionally formed part of the food of the inhabitants, being taken by men lowered from the top of the cliffs. Research Gannet
Gull is the general name of a family of birds distinguished by their straight bill, bending downwards towards the point, and marked below the under mandible by a triangular prominence, by their large wings, slender legs, palmated feet, and small hind toe. They swim well, but cannot dive. Their flight is rapid and long sustained. They are extremely voracious, and feed on every kind of animal food, putrid or fresh. Their principal food is fish, which they catch with great agility, darting down like an arrow. They breed only once a year, laying two to four eggs. The species are exceedingly numerous, and resemble each other greatly. Among the principal are the common gull which breeds on the coast, or inland in moory districts; the lesser black-backed gull; the black-headed gull, of which the masked gull is only a variety; the ivory gull; the Iceland gull, distinguished by its white quill feathers from the herring gull, the great black-backed gull; the burgomaster; the little gull; sabine's gull; the kittiwake, etc. Research Gull
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Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Collective Noun
