I have read of serpents bred in Arabia, called Sirenas, which have wings, being very swift, running and flying at pleasure ; and when they wound a man he dieth instantly. These are supposed to be a kind of dragons. It is said there are divers sorts of dragons or serpents that are so called, which are distinguished partly by their countries, partly by their magnitude, and partly by the different form of their external parts. They are said to be bred in India and Africa ; those of India are much the largest, being of an incredible length; and of these there are also said to be two kinds, one of them living in the marshes, which are slow of pace and without combs on their heads ; the other in the mountains, which are bigger and have combs, their backs being somewhat brown and their bodies less scaled. Some of them are of a yellow fiery colour, having sharp backs like saws. These also have beards. When they set up their scales they shine like silver. The apples of their eyes are (it is said) precious stones, and as bright as fire, in which it is affirmed there is a great virtue against many diseases. Their aspect is very fierce and terrible. Some dragons are said t have wings and no feet ; some, again, have both feet an wings ; and others neither feet nor wings, and are only istinguished from the common sort of serpents by the c mbs growing upon their heads and by their beards. S me do affirm that the dragon is of a black colour, so ewhat green beneath and very beautiful, that it has a riple row of teeth in each jaw, that it has also two d wlaps growing under the chin, which hang down like a beard of a red colour ; and the body is set all over with sharp scales, and on the neck with thick hair, much like the bristles of a wild boar." It will be seen by the foregoing that the ima
gination of our ancestors was allowed free play, abundant variety of form, magnitude, colour, and so forth being possible.
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