Dragons: A Natural History

Dragons: A Natural History surveys the many forms dragons have taken in mythology, natural history and symbolism around the world. Karl P. N. Shuker divides his subject into five broad groups: serpent dragons, semi-dragons, classical dragons, sky dragons and neo-dragons.

The book brings together Western dragons, Chinese dragons, amphipteres and winged New World species, alongside lesser-known forms such as orms, guivres and lindorms. Its accounts range from the basilisk and salamander to St George’s adversary, Wagner’s Fafnir and Quetzalcoatl. Illustrated entries consider how these creatures have been described, represented and woven into regional traditions, while the bibliography points towards further study of dragon lore and reported natural-history connections.