n. 25B6; noun
a collection of stolen items : HOARD, pile, heap, stack, stock, store, stockpile; accumulation, reserve, supply, bank, pool, fund, mine, reservoir.
a collection of shoppers : GROUP, crowd, body, assemblage, gathering, throng; knot, cluster; multitude, bevy, party, band, horde, pack, flock, swarm, mob; informal gang, load, gaggle. See list.
a collection of Victorian dolls : SET, series; array, assortment.
a collection of short stories : ANTHOLOGY, selection, compendium, treasury, compilation, miscellany, pot-pourri.
a collection for the poor : DONATIONS, contributions, gifts, subscription(s); informal whip-round; historical alms.
a church collection : OFFERING, offertory, tithe.
Collective Names for Birds and Animals
shrewdness of apes tiding of magpies
herd/pace of asses sord/suit of mallard
troop of baboons stud of mares
cete of badgers richesse of martens
sloth of bears labour of moles
swarm/drift/hive/erst of bees troop of monkeys
flock/flight/pod of birds span/barren of mules
herd/gang/obstinacy of buffalo watch of nightingales
bellowing of bullfinches parliament/stare of owls
drove of bullocks yoke of oxen
clowder/glaring of cats pandemonium of parrots
army of caterpillars covey of partridges
herd/drove of cattle muster of peacocks
brood/clutch/peep of chickens muster/parcel/rookery of penguins
chattering of choughs bevy/head of pheasants
rag/rake of colts kit of pigeons (in flight)
covert of coots litter/herd of pigs
herd of cranes congregation/stand/wing of plovers
bask of crocodiles rush/flight of pochards
murder of crows pod/school/herd/turmoil of porpoises
litter of cubs covey of ptarmigan
herd of curlew litter of pups
herd/mob of deer bevy/drift of quail
pack/kennel of dogs bury of rabbits
school of dolphins string of racehorses
trip of dotterel unkindness of ravens
flight/dole/piteousness of doves crash of rhinoceros
paddling of ducks (on water) bevy of roe deer
safe of ducks (on land) parliament/building/rookery of rooks
fling of dunlins hill of ruffs
herd/parade of elephants pod/herd/rookery of seals
herd/gang of elk flock/herd/trip/mob of sheep
busyness of ferrets dopping of sheldrake
charm of finches wisp/walk of snipe
shoal/run of fish host of sparrows
swarm/cloud of flies murmuration of starlings
skulk of foxes flight of swallows
gaggle of geese (on land) game/herd of swans (on land)
skein/team/wedge of geese (in flight) wedge of swans (in flight)
herd of giraffes drift/herd/sounder of swine
flock/herd/trip of goats spring of teal
band of gorillas knot of toads
cloud of gnats hover of trout
pack/covey of grouse rafter of turkeys
down/mute/husk of hares bale/turn of turtles
cast of hawks bunch/knob of waterfowl
siege of herons school/herd/pod/gam of whales
bloat of hippopotami company/trip of wigeon
drove/string/stud/team of horses sounder of wild boar
pack/cry/kennel of hounds dout/destruction of wild cats
flight/swarm of insects team of wild ducks (in flight)
fluther/smack of jellyfish bunch/trip/plump/knob of wildfowl
mob/troop of kangaroos pack/rout of wolves
kindle/litter of kittens fall of woodcock
desert of lapwings descent of woodpeckers
bevy/exaltation of larks herd of wrens
leap/lepe of leopards zeal of zebras
pride/sawt of lions
Many of these are fanciful or humorous terms which probably never had any real currency but have been popularized in books such as Sports and Pastimes of England (1801) by Joseph Strutt.