What is the Feejee mermaid?

The Feejee mermaid is a hoax created in the early 19th century. It was made from the upper torso and head of a monkey sewn to the tail of a fish. The hoax was created by Japanese fishermen and sold to American showman P.T. Barnum, who exhibited it in his American Museum in New York City. Barnum claimed that the Feejee mermaid was a real creature, and he charged admission for people to see it. The hoax was eventually exposed, but it remains a famous example of how people can be fooled by clever trickery.