This is an index to the beasts, in alphabetic order, listing only the common names used on this site. The alphabet bands allow you to jump to the first item sorted under the letter you click.

Agate Stone Can be used to find pearls

Alerion Bird A bird the color of fire, with razor-sharp wings

Amethyst Stone

Amphisbaena Beast A serpent with two heads, one at either end

Ant Insect Ants harvest grain to store for the winter

Antelope Beast An animal so wild no hunter can approach it

Ant-lion Beast The offspring of an ant and a lion, or the lion of ants

Ape Beast Called "simia" because it is similar to humans

Asp Serpent Blocks its ear with its tail so as not to hear the charmer

Ass Beast An animal that is slow and resists commands

Badger Beast A dirty beast that bites

Barnacle Goose Bird A bird that initially grows from trees

Basilisk Serpent Its odor, voice and even look can kill

Bat Bird A bird that gives birth to living young

Bear Beast The cubs are born unformed, and must be licked into shape by the mother

Beaver Beast Hunted for its testicles, it castrates itself to escape from the hunter

Bee Insect Bees are the smallest of birds, and are born from the bodies of oxen

Beryl Stone

Bittern Bird A bird that makes a booming noise

Blackbird Bird An agreeable bird that sings in April and May

Boa Serpent An enormous snake, found in Italy, that feeds on cattle

Boar (Wild) Beast A savage wild pig or hog

Bonnacon Beast A beast like a bull, that uses its dung as a weapon

Bull Beast The Indian bull is tawny colored and swift as a bird

Caladrius Beast A bird which can tell if a sick man will die, and can cure disease

Camel Beast Camels can endure thirst for three days and prefer to drink muddy water

Carbuncle Stone When it is held against the sun it resembles a burning coal

Cat Beast An animal that is hostile to mice

Catoblepas Beast A beast with a head so heavy it can only look down

Cedar Tree Plant

Centaur Beast A beast part man and part horse

Cerastes Serpent An exceptionally flexible serpent with horns

Chalcedony Stone

Chrysolite Stone

Chrysoprase Stone

Cinnamologus Bird An Arabian bird that makes its nest from the fruits of the cinnamon tree

Cock Bird The cock is a bird that can tell time

Coot Bird An intelligent bird that stays in one place

Crane Bird At night cranes take turns keeping watch for enemies

Cricket Insect A creature that likes to sing, forgetting all else

Crocodile Beast A beast that weeps after eating a man

Crow Bird A long-lived bird that fortells the future

Cuckoo Bird A weak bird that travels on the backs of kites

Diamond Stone If a diamond is kept in a house, demons cannot enter

Dipper Bird A bird from Ireland that dives for fish in streams

Dipsa Serpent A snake so poisionous that its bite kills before it is felt

Dog Beast A young dog bound to a patient cures internal wounds

Dolphin Fish Dolphins gather in schools at the sound of music

Dove Bird There is meaning in the various colors of doves

Dragon Serpent The greatest of all serpents on earth

Dromedary Beast The dromedary is a small camel that can travel a hundred Roman miles a day

Duck Bird The ducks of Pontus feed on the poison in the sea

Eagle Bird A bird with eyes so strong it can look directly into the sun

Echeneis Fish This fish clings to ships and holds them back

Elephant Beast Persian and Indian soldiers build wooden towers on the back of elephants and fight from there.

Falcon Bird

Fire stones Stone Stones that burst into flames when brought close together

Fish Fish The number of species of fish is uncountable

Fox Beast A crafty and deceitful animal that never runs in a straight line

Frog Serpent Land frogs die if exposed to rain

Giraffe Beast A beast that looks like a camel but has the spots of a leopard

Goat Beast An animal that likes to live on high mountains

Goose Bird Geese can smell the odor of man better than any other animal can

Griffin Beast A beast with the body of a lion and the wings and head of an eagle

Hare Beast A timid beast that runs fast

Harpy Bird

Hawk Bird The hawk has great courage in a small body

Hedgehog Beast A beast that carries away grapes on its sharp quills

He-goat Beast A beast so hot that its blood dissolves diamond

Hercinia Bird A bird with brightly glowing feathers

Heron Bird A bird wise above all others

Hoopoe Bird The young care for their elderly parents

Horse Beast A horse is a horse, of course, of course...

Hydros Serpent A water snake that makes those bitten swell up

Hydrus Serpent The enemy of the crocodile, which it kills from the inside

Hyena Beast A beast that eats human corpses and changes sex

Ibex Beast A beast with horns so strong they can save it from a fall

Ibis Bird The dirtiest of birds because it feeds on corpses

Ichneumon Serpent Another enemy of the dragon

Indian stone Stone A stone that can cure the illness called dropsy

Jaculus Serpent A flying serpent

Jay Bird A very noisy bird

Kingfisher Bird A bird that calms sea storms

Kite Bird A rapacious bird that feeds on carrion

Lamb Beast The lamb knows by their voice its own parents

Leontophone Beast A small beast that is deadly to lions

Leopard Beast The offspring of a mating between a lion and a pard

Leucrota Beast A composite beast with a mouth that stretches from ear to ear

Lion Beast The lion is the king of the beasts

Lizard Serpent When the lizard goes blind, it looks to the rising sun

Lynx Beast The urine of the lynx hardens into a precious stone

Magnet Stone

Magpie Bird The magpie has a voice which can express words with distinct sounds

Mandrake Plant A plant with human-shaped roots, that shrieks when it is pulled from the earth

Manticore Beast A composite beast with a man's face, a lion's body, and the stinger of a scorpion

Mermaid Fish A creature half human, half fish

Mole Beast A blind animal that lives in the earth

Monocerus Beast A fierce beast with a single long horn

Mouse Beast A small animal that is born from the soil

Muscaliet Beast A beast with the body of a hare, tail of a squirrel, teeth of a boar

Newt Serpent A lizard with spots like stars on its back

Nightingale Bird A bird that that sings so enthusiastically that it almost dies

Onager Beast A wild ass that can predict the coming of the equinox

Onocentaur Beast A beast with the upper body of a man and the lower body of an ass

Orphan Bird Bird The mother bird knows which of her eggs contain the best offspring

Osprey Bird A bird from Ireland that is well suited for fishing

Ostrich Bird A bird that can digest anything, even iron, but is careless of its eggs

Owl Bird The owl is a dirty bird that prefers darkness to light

Ox Beast The ox is a strong beast that can predict the weather

Palm Tree Plant

Panther Beast A gentle, multicolored beast whose only enemy is the dragon

Parandrus Beast A beast that can conceal itself by changing its appearance

Pard Beast A swift and deadly beast that kills with a single leap

Parrot Bird A talking bird with a very hard beak

Partridge Bird A deceitful bird that steals other birds' eggs

Peacock Bird A bird with a terrible voice and flesh too hard to cook

Pearl Stone Pearls are produced by a stone called an oyster

Pegasus Beast

Pelican Bird A bird that revives its dead young with its own blood

Peridexion tree Plant A tree in India that attracts doves and repells dragons

Phoenix Bird A bird that rises anew from the ashes of its funeral pyre

Quail Bird Quails cannot be eaten, because they feed on poisonous seeds

Rabbit Beast A wild beast hunted by dogs

Ram Beast Rams were the first animals to be sacrificed on alters

Raven Bird The raven will not accept its young until their feathers turn black

Salamander Serpent Salamanders are so cold they can extinguish any fire

Sapphire Stone

Sard Stone

Sardonyx Stone

Sawfish Fish The sawfish has enormous wings and likes to race against ships

Scitalis Serpent A serpent with such a marvelous appearance that it stuns the viewer

Scorpion Insect The scorpion is a worm that stings with its tail

Sea-pig Fish Sea-pigs dig up the ground under water

Seps Serpent The poison of the seps consumes both body and bones

Sheep Beast The sheep is a defenseless, placid animal

Siren Bird A deadly creature, half human, half bird or fish

Smaragdus Stone

Snake Serpent The snake crawls with hidden steps

Sparrow Bird A small, weak bird

Sphinx Beast

Spider Insect The spider is an aerial worm that takes its nourishment from the air

Stag Beast A drink made from the tears and the heart bones of a stag is a cure for troubles of the heart

Stork Bird Two crows lead flocks of storks when they cross the sea to Asia

Swallow Bird The swallow deserts buildings that are about to collapse

Swan Bird The swan sings most sweetly just before it dies

Swordfish Fish A fish with a pointed beak it uses to sink ships

Tiger Beast Tigers are remarkable for their strength and speed

Titmouse Bird A bird that is curious about other birds

Topaz Stone

Torpedo Fish A fish whose touch numbs the strongest arms and swiftest feet

Turtledove Bird A bird that always remains faithful to its mate

Unicorn Beast The unicorn is a fierce beast that can only be captured by a maiden

Viper Serpent The young of the viper eat their way out of their mother's side

Vulture Bird The vulture is a slow-flying bird that eats corpses

Weasel Beast The weasel conceives at the mouth and gives birth through the ear

Wether Beast The wether is named from the worms in its head

Whale Fish Sailors mistake the whale for an island

Wolf Beast If a wolf sees a man before the man sees the wolf, the man will lose his voice

Woodpecker Bird No spike can remain in a tree where a woodpecker nests

Worm Serpent Worms are born from flesh without intercourse