Tag Archives: extinct animals
Chickcharnie
When sightseeing on the Island of Andros, dear readers, keep your eyes peeled for a creature that Bahamian folk tales describe as a three-toed elf, a red-eyed man-beast or a birdlike creature with a lizard’s tail and a fluffy mane, … Continue reading
Filed under academia, extinct species, folklore, human behavior, Phobia-inducing, Uncategorized
BV-worthy new exhibit
The California Academy of Sciences has long been beloved by the author of BV, figuring in her elementary school field trips, and, more recently, looming large in her consciousness as an example of stunning sustainable architecture. And a friend is … Continue reading
Filed under academia, endangered species, extinct species, human behavior
Echeneis: stubborn little bastard of a fish.
Isidore of Seville, who is, let’s face it, quite the hero for BV, named it the “delay,” for obvious reasons In the 1st century CE, Lucan wrote of it as ”…the sucking fish / Which holds the vessel back though eastern … Continue reading
Filed under academia, extinct species, folklore, marine life, medieval, Phobia-inducing, Uncategorized
The missing link: Darwinius masillae, Sweet as Apple cider
The sound of the name “Ida” has suddenly become sweet sweet music to paleontololical ears. This is because “Ida,” a 47 million year old fossil hidden in a closet for 20+ years has recently been unveiled. Apparently, a … Continue reading
Filed under academia, extinct species, Uncategorized
Bovine rampage in Norway: Revenge of the Beef
In 2002, a series of bizzare bovine incidents in the Norweigian countryside alarmed residents, and alerted us to the possibility that cows are beginning to strain at the agricultural tether. The first victim, 23-year old Stian Skoglund, was “bashed and … Continue reading
No, It’s not a Typo; It’s the “Cock” of Dawn.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have Chinese folklore to thank for next entry: the celestial cock, aka the “cock of dawn.” << The author respects all cultures and will not resort to infantile murrmerings about the word “cock”. But, dear readers, it’s … Continue reading
Filed under folklore, human behavior, rated NC17, the strange and the beautiful, Uncategorized
Catobelpas: Head of an Ox, Tail of a snake, Bad dinner date.
To all of the singletons reading this entry: the author of BV would like to caution you about the Catobelpas, for according to Pliny the Elder, this next member of our medieval bestiary series, which is “of moderate size and inactive … Continue reading
“Viking Kittens iz Where its at” Indeed.
It is difficult to resist the lure of a theme. and the lure of the “crazy/cute/creepy cat video” theme is best compared, dear reader(s), to crack cocaine. While naysayers (and I have one particular naysayer in mind, who will … Continue reading
The Ant-lion (lion ant)
The entire premise of Bestiarum Vocabulum, as some of you might know, rests on the genre of the medieval bestiary ( or bestiarum vocabulum). It is therefore meet that we occasionaly visit the archives for entries, as part of an … Continue reading
Sloth
Sloths once lived both on the ground and in trees, but ground sloths, too slow to outmaeuver enemies, are now extinct, leaving only the familiar upside-down tree dwelling variety.* The surviving species belong to families Megalonychidae (two toed sloths) and Bradypodidae (three toed … Continue reading
Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea)
Unfortunately, all species of sea turtles are considered either endangered or threatened. Leatherback, hawksbill, and kemp’s ridley turtles are critically endangered, and only the loggerhead is given the least severe designation of ”threatened species.” Sea turtles (and their eggs) are hunted for food and for trophies, … Continue reading
Filed under marine life, Uncategorized
Leafy Sea Dragon
The Leafy Sea Dragon (Phycodurus eques) is related to the more well-known seahorse, and like the seahorse, is an example of gender role reversal that has left the human female population in paroxysms of envy and amusement since the … Continue reading
Filed under academia, endangered species, marine life, Uncategorized
Breaking News: latest addition to list of endangered species
Shall we sing a requiem for a dying breed? Genus Newspaperus Printae , which long sat at the top of the media food chain, has been in a state of gradual decline for the last decade. The situation is now critical, as the genus has been dealt a resounding blow … Continue reading
Filed under academia, endangered species, extinct species, Phobia-inducing, Uncategorized
Gay Dinosaurs (extinct)
Dinosaurs (δεινόσαυρος, deinosauros) roamed terrestrial ecosystems beginning in the late Triassic period (about 230 million years ago) and throughout the Cretaceous period (65 million years ago), until at the end of the Cretaceous period there occurred an event that incited near-total extinction: the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event. Or … Continue reading
Filed under extinct species
