The Magic Zoo: the Natural History of Fabulous Animals by Costello, Peter - 1979

New York: St. Martin's Press. Near Fine in Fine dust jacket. 1979. Hardcover. Fabulous birds and animals have fascinated and intrigued from the earliest times: The Greeks had their centaurs and satyrs, the Chinese their Kai-Lin and Feng Wang, and today we have Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. But is there any truth to these myths? Do real animals or real animal behavior lurk behind the legends? Peter Costello examines a wide arrange of strange creatures in his attempt to uncover the truth. Moving from dragons to griffons and beyond, he skillfully combines mythology and zoology in his study of animals in his engrossing and highly readable style. Included in this delightful book are accounts and illustrations not only of such well-known creatures as the minotaur and the phoenix, but also such lesser-known beasts as the Vegetable Lamb, the Giant Ants of India (I sure believe those! ) , and the Barnacle Goose. The Magic Zoo does for the community of mermaids and unicorns what recent best sellers have done for gnomes, faeries, and witches. Includes an extensive bibliography and index. On the page sides are three tiny rust-like marks. ; 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall .