Beginning in 1898, The Strand invited readers to send in their true stories and anecdotes about animals. These were published in a column titled "Animal Actualities," illustrated by the inimitable J.A. Shepherd. (It's possible that the stories were retold by Shepherd as well; no author is credited but the stories have clearly been rewritten by a single individual.) The series ran sporadically through 1900.

1: A Lost Reputation (1898)

A farmyard duck ends "a formidable Cerberus's" reputation for canine belligerence.

2: An Undesirable Attachment (1898)

A goose develops an unwelcome tendresse toward a rooster.

3: A Dog Story (1898)

The tale of Zig, an avid retriever of items from the bottoms of ponds.

4: A Dove and a Toad (1898)

Another tale of misplaced affections.

5: A Queer Rabbit (1898)

No mere dog was going to bully this rabbit's best friend... a cat!

6: The Faithful Cochin (1898)

How Granny, an elderly hen, stood by her man...

7: The Discomfited Pug (1898)

Outwitted by a captive raven!

8: The Disappearing Chickens (1899)

Who or what was causing the farmyard chicks to vanish?

9: Three-Legged Tommy (1899)

A rich-cat, poor-cat romance.

10: A Puppy's Amazement (1899)

Never steal a snack from a tortoise.

11: Sauce for the Goose, Sauce for the Gander (1899)

Geese harass police!

12: Instinct Gone Wrong (1899)

A male chick develops a maternal instinct... or obsession...

13: A Chip Off the Old Block (1899)

Evidence that sheep-dogs are born, not made.

14: A Sad Dog (1899)

The effects of strong drink aren't pretty... especially when bowser's the boozer.

15: Misunderstood (1899)

The tragic romance of a Jamaican baboon and a rooster.

16: A Forced Exchange (1899)

A dog, a cat, two beds, two litters...

17: Cuckoo, the Little Police Constable (1900)

A cockatoo vs. a burglar.

18: The Demon Crow (1900)

19: Highway Robbery (1900)

A felonious horse.

Puss and the Parrot (1900)

What terrible creature was this, that talked like a man?

A Five-Stranded Cord of Love (1900)

A shipboard friendship between five animals of different species.

Our Mag (1900)

Either a lesson as to why a magpie shouldn't feed a jackdaw chick, or why a jackdaw chick shouldn't beg food from a magpie...

Savage Forbearance (1900)

A cat learns the consequences of stealing a bloodhound's meal.