Mythical Monsters

A naturalist reevaluates legendary animals by treating folk tales, travelers’ reports, and ancient myths as potential traces of once-real fauna, using evidence from geology, evolution, and philology. The work surveys unusual animal forms, extinction, human antiquity, and deluge traditions before considering how myths travel between cultures. It then examines dragons in general and within Chinese and Japanese traditions, evaluates sea‑serpent sightings, discusses the unicorn and the Chinese phoenix, and concludes with appendices and source notes that document translations and authorities consulted.