Medieval Bestiary : Beast Index

Beast Index - Alphabetic


The alphabet bands allow you to jump to the first item sorted under the letter you click. These links will take you to web-pages, so make sure you are connected to the Internet. For an article about Bestiary Beasts on Romanesque arches, click here. This index includes all of the beasts found in Bestiaries and the Physiologus, as well as some from other sources. It does not include beasts from non-European sources unless those animals are the basis of Bestiary, Physiologus, or other Western beast legends. Many Bestiary beasts had no fixed name; different sources often used slightly or radically different names for the same animal.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y
Agate	Stone	Can be used to find pearls.
Alerion	Bird	A bird the colour of fire, with razor-sharp wings.
Amethyst	Stone
Amphisbæna	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.
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.

B A C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
Badger	Beast	A dirty beast that bites.
Barnacle Goose	Bird	A bird that initially grows from barnacles.
Basilisk	Serpent	Its odour, 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- coloured and swift as a bird.

C A B D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
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.
Centaur(ess)	Beast	A beast whose upper part is human, and whose lower part is 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 human.
Crow	Bird	A long-lived bird that foretells the future.
Cuckoo	Bird	A weak bird that travels on the backs of kites.

D A B C E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
Diamond	Stone	If a diamond is kept in a house, demons cannot enter.
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.

E A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
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.

F A B C D E G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
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.

G A B C D E F H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
Giraffe (Cameleopard)	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 odour 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, The eastern form is known as a Senmurv and has the head of a dog or wolf,

H A B C D E F G I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
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 spines.
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.
Hyæna	Beast	A beast that eats human corpses and changes sex.

I A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
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.

J A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
Jaculus	Serpent	A flying serpent.
Jay	Bird	A very noisy bird.

K A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
Kingfisher	Bird	A bird that calms sea storms.
Kite	Bird	A rapacious bird that feeds on carrion.

L A B C D E F G H I J K M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
Lamb	Beast	The lamb knows its own mother by her voice.
Leontophone	Beast	A small beast that is deadly to lions.
Leopard	Beast	The offspring of 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	Bird	When the lizard goes blind, it looks to the rising sun.
Lynx	Beast	The urine of the lynx hardens into a precious stone.

M A B C D E F G H I J K L N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
Magnet	Stone
Magpie	Bird	The magpie has a voice which can enunciate words.
Mandrake	Plant	A plant with human-shaped roots, that shrieks when it is pulled from the earth. Latterly, the result of a hanged man's sperm falling on the ground.
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 woman, half fish. The male is a merman.
Mole	Beast	A blind animal that lives in the earth.
Monocerus (see also Unicorn)	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.

N A B C D E F G H I J K L M O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
Newt	Serpent	A lizard with spots like stars on its back.
Nightingale	Bird	A bird that that sings so enthusiastically that it almost dies.

O A B C D E F G H I J K L M N P Q R S T U V W Y Top
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.
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.

P A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O Q R S T U V W Y Top
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 repels dragons.
Phoenix	Bird	A bird that rises anew from the ashes of its funeral pyre.

Q A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Top
Quail	Bird	Quails cannot be eaten, because they feed on poisonous seeds.

R A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q S T U V W Y Top
Rabbit	Beast	A small wild beast hunted by dogs.
Ram	Beast	Rams were the first animals to be sacrificed on altars.
Raven	Bird	The raven will not accept its young until their feathers turn black.

S A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R T U V W Y Top
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 marvellous 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.
Senmurv	Beast	An eastern type of Griffin with the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and the head of a dog or wolf.
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.
Sphinx	Beast	The riddle-utterer.
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.

T A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S U V W Y Top
Tiger	Beast	Tigers are remarkable for their strength and speed.
Titmouse	Bird	A bird that is curoius 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.

U A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T V W Y Top
Unicorn	Beast	The unicorn is a fierce beast that can only be captured by a maiden.

V A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U W Y Top
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.

W A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Top
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.

Y A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Top
Yale	Beast	A beast with flexible horns that it can move at will.
A Senmurv confronts a human-headed lion at Arles-sur-Tech (Pyrénées-Orientales) Amazing winged and wolf-headed serpents with long, similarly-headed tongues at L'Ile Bouchard (Indre-et-Loire)