This week's collaboration with What is It? Blog brings us this mysterious object. Check out What is It? for clues.
Because I missed two weeks' worth of games, let's do this: First one to guess correctly and funniest guess win Free Neatorama T-Shirts (so total 2 winners).
Place your guess in the comment section - do not post any URL, let others play, please!
Update 5/11/07: Ha! No one got it right - here's the answer:
I didn't know that there was a need for such a product, but apparently when milking cows, serious eye injury can occur from the switching of the cow tail. The device below is a cow tail holder, when in use the larger end clamps to the leg and the other end attaches to the tail.
It was patented in 1891, number 444,428, over 100 other patents for a wide range of contraptions that perform the same task can be found on Google patents.
According to this site, the inventor of a cow tail holder estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 milkmaids or milkmen received severe eye injuries each year.
Safe Work Practices on a Dairy Farm has more information on the risks and dangers of dairy farming.
Funniest comment winner: Beth #63. It was the photoshop job that did it! - congrats!
But okay, he (she ?)'s got a real photoshop talent :)
They may be lacking in the limb department and this may sound cruel, but after you've had one pecking at your ankles during an otherwise fantastic meal, you won't feel that bad for them when you have them attached to your dinner table. (Exhibit A: http://bp3.blogger.com/_3hp8bbBoBKc/RkSpZraP3gI/AAAAAAAAAGE/CMzQ1Yi6UQ0/s320/kiwi.bmp [which is not a spoiler in any way...just bad photoshop])