All definitions are taken from Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, unless otherwise specified.
Phoenix (fee-niks)
A mythical bird of great beauty, the only one of its kind, fabled to live 500 or
600 years in the Arabian wilderness, to burn itself on a funeral pile, and
to rise from its ashes in the freshness of youth and live through another cycle of years: often an emblem of immortality.
A southern constellation between "Hydrus" and "Sculptor".
Thunderbird Native American
A huge, eaglelike bird capable of producing thunder,
lightning and rain.
Feng-huang Chinese
Not in Dictionary. Sometimes called the Chinese Phoenix, the feathers of
this bird were so beautifully varied in hue that they were said to be infused with the
lights of paradise. Its call consisted of five notes that formed a perfect melody:
often a symbol of prosperity and peace.
(The Enchanted World-Magical Beasts, Time-Life Books)
Simurg Persian
Not in Dictionary. A jewel-like bird whose iridescent feathers
had powers of healing.
Roc, Ruc or Rukh (rok) Arabian
A fabulous bird of enormous size and strength.
Peryton Classical Mythology
Not in Dictionary. A winged deer which cast the shadow of a man.
(The Enchanted World-Magical Beasts, Time-Life Books)
Harpy (har-pi) Classical Mythology
A ravenous, filthy monster having a woman's head and a bird's body.
Winged Bull Assyrian
Not in Dictionary. "He had a man's head crowned with a horned
tiara and the body of a bull with great wings."
(Mythical Beasts Coloring Book, by Fridolf Johnson, Dover Publications, 1976)
Winged Lion Heraldry
Not in Dictionary. A lion with the wings of an eagle: a
symbol of conquering strength and courage.
