mythical creatures bestiary

[empty mirror]

the jackalope is an american phenomenon, i think. are any non-US-based dissensians familiar? a rabbit with a rack of horns, essentially. not sure about its origins, but it is a popular legend in the american south. and west. american southwest. from a postcard on my desk:

The Western Jackalope: Among the rarest of the hunter's trophies is the timid jackalope. The nocturnal antlered, long-eared mammal has keen senses of hearing and smell and is said to be attracted to alcohol...

yeah, and there's the loch ness, as documented in that flick "the incident at loch ness".



and of course, sasquatch:


and so wildly popular in philosophy departments, the flying spaghetti monster, and the invisible pink unicorn:





what else is (or isn't) out there?

[STN]

I'm a big fan of kelpies. If I was in a postrock band it would be called kelpie. I also like pookas, redcaps, kappas and cobbolds. Harpies are okay, but I'm not keen on manticores or basilisks. I think a basilisk the same as a cockatrice. I also like inkwell monkeys and any unconvincing were-beast (parrots, fishes, grasshoppers).

[CHAOTROPIC]

How about Ceiling Cat?

[CHAOTROPIC]

My favourite cryptid (mystery animal) is definitely the Dobhar Chu, the irish Master Otter. Supposed to be a huge vicious white otter with (usually) a black cross on its chest. No modern sightings, unfortunately.

The Tatzelwurm from Switzerland is also ace, being a long dragonlike reptile with two legs & the face of a cat.

& don't forget the electrified, venom-spitting Mongolian Death Worm, which I spent a month in Mongolia looking for in 2005 & singularly failed to find (probably quite lucky really)...

[Dunninger]

Theres the bavarian Wolpertinger. Looks like he's related to the Jackalope, but with more gadgets.

You wouldn't want to mess with this guy.

[droid]

The Penanagglan and Malaysian monsters in general.

[zhao]

The Penanagglan and Malaysian monsters in general.

so cool!

[pajbre]

chupacabra!

[zhao]

chupacabra!

the mythical status of which is debatable.

[Tentative Andy]

Big cats.
Like the Beast of Bodmin Moor etc.
Interest me because at face value they seem moderately plausible.

[baboon2004]

This book is one of the funniest and most delightful things I have ever read. A perfect birthday present, radically different from the usual coffee table book nonsense.

[CHAOTROPIC]

This is nice. I love cryptozoology. It kindof sorts out the theoreticians from the pragmatists. Does that make sense??

[zhao]

is there one more awe and terror inspiring than Leviathan?

[Dunninger]

This book is one of the funniest and most delightful things I have ever read. A perfect birthday present, radically different from the usual coffee table book nonsense.

Thanks for reminding me, it's been on the invisible to-buy list since it came out. Bless Fantagraphics.

[Mr. Tea]

*unlurk*

On a cryptozoology note, this should get all you Cthulhu-heads moist with glee: BLOOP!

*relurk*