Right now this section is kind of a mix - animals known for their baldness (eagle, buzzard, locust), mixed in with animals who are associated with baldness through symbolic or linguistic associations (bear, boar, stag). Some of these animals would be suitable choices for a totem animal for bald men, some of them would really make you question anyone who wants to be associated with them. I hope to add an essay discussing how some of these animal became associated with baldness, as well as some of the traditional attributes of bald men (wink, wink). More on this later.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
OK, you say, why bears, if these are bald men? Well, you probably haven't noticed,
but men who lose the hair on the top of their head are usually much hairier over the rest of their body
(take our word for it, OK?). The resemblance to a bear can be rather striking. Oh, and for those
of you who follow the typical primate dominant male displays (bald head, hairy jaw, ... well,
you can fill in the rest), you might want to also visit the
Beard and Moustache Homepage.
1688 in Phil. Trans. 1693 (1694) XVII. 989 - The Second is the Bald Eagle, for the Body and part of the Neck being of a dark brown, the upper part of the Neck and Head is covered with a white sort of Down, whereby it looks very bald, whence it is so named. [OED]
1705 Beverley Virginia ii. 35 - The Bald-Eagle no sooner perceives a Hawk that has taken his Prey, but he immediately pursues. [OED]
Date last modified: August 29, 1995.
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