Not what many would think of as 'History', nevertheless the story of our relationship with domesticated farm animals and with companionable pets has much to teach us about ourselves, both in the past and today.
It throws light on agricultural practices, on our land management, on our superstitious beliefs, on the social history of class, on our choice of entertainment, and of how our attitudes towards animals and birds has changed over the centuries. Today we are again re-evaluating our relationships with the natural world in general.