Perhaps you have seen the e-mail that has been widely distributed that begins like this: “We are all familiar with a herd of cows, a flock of chickens, a school of fish and a gaggle of geese. However, less widely known is a pride of lions, a murder of crows . . . an exaltation of doves and, presumably because they look so wise, a parliament of owls.

“Now consider a group of baboons,” the e-mail continues. “They are the loudest, most dangerous, most obnoxious, most viciously aggressive and least intelligent of all primates. And what is the proper collective noun for a group of baboons? Believe it or not  . . . a Congress! I guess that pretty much explains the things that come out of Washington!” the writer of the e-mail concludes.

Clever, isn’t it? The only problem is that it isn’t true. …