F#43: Mottled Cohuatl
SFI recieved a call from a house near the Leywood- someone concerned about a tiny nest in their garden. We get a lot of calls like this- people worry that something dangerous is making a home in their backyard.
But this time, we were pleased to report, that is not the case. This anxious parent showed up to check that we weren’t up to something with their potential offspring!
This is a mottled cohuatl- the smallest member of the winged serpent family.
Immediately, the cohuatl lured us away from their nest with a performance of fluttering and acrobatics. As the nest was in a safe location, and the neighbours were reassured that the occupants were friendly, we left them to it.
F#39: Frost Wyrm
The frost wyrm is a member of the dragon family- one of the smallest, measuring on average only 24cm long.
These wyrms radiate cold- in lower temperatures, even enough to freeze the spot on which they are perched.
For this reason they are unpopular with gardeners- woe betide any delicate stem that comes in contacts with the wyrm’s icy touch!
However, seeing a frost wyrm can be a good sign- a wyrm in a sloe bush means the berries are ready for picking- or so says the old wives tale.
F#38: Cornus Martes
Also known as the ‘weasel dragon’ (though it has no link to the dragon species, this name probably due to the similarity of some features to that of Asian lung dragons), this creature roams some of the coldest climes of the northern hemisphere, with particularly high populations in northern Russia, Iceland and Greenland.
In other places, however, the weasel dragon is kept as a pet.
It is effective at keeping down mice, rat and rabbit populations, and also is an affectionate companion.
Hope you enjoyed this post! Today I’m off to Gloucester to run my market stall for a whole week! Unfortunately that means there won’t be a new creature on here next sunday- but check in to see some creature design sketches!
F#27: Silkwing
Sometimes called ‘cloud mouse’ or ‘false dragon’, the silkwing is delicate creature that is often romantically described as ‘travelling with the winds’.
As autumn arrives, you’ll see silkwings far more often in the skies along the coast. They’ve flown in from the inland meadows where the spend the summer; riding the strong winds to wheel and gather in flocks of tens to hundreds strong. 
Come early October, after a month of socializing and cementing strong flock relationships, the silkwings migrate to winter in the southern hemisphere.
Goodbye ’til next summer, cloud mouse.
Archive23: The Knucker Hole Dragon
This summer may be full of weird cult activity and necromancer shennanigans, but the Seaflower Institute still has normal work to do.
Well, comparatively normal, I mean. Like, going to check up on an ancient dragon. That kind of normal.
The village of Lyminster in West Sussex is home to Knucker Hole, a supposedly bottomless blue pool. It was in this pool, the legend goes, that the Knucker lived; a fearsome dragon that tormented the local villages, until it was eventually slain- either by a knight in the traditional fashion, or a cunning baker via a poisoned pie.
More likely, the dragon activity subsided due to the dragons hibernation cycle, which typically involves napping for a few hundred years.
We like to keep an eye on the Knucker, so every five years or so, someone goes to check its still alive- and this time it was me and Jesper’s turn. So, armed with dragon repellent and welly boots, we ventured to sussex.
The farmers whose livestock graze in the surrounding fields are certainly taking no chances- as Jesper found out when he accidentally touched the stock fencing.
The pool is pretty secure behind a high gate and barbed wire-topped fence. We were let in, and stood at the edge of the water like two clueless kids on the doorstep of an ancient monster.
One living dragon? Check. Lets not do that again.
F#23: Wyrm Hatchlings
Wyrm Hatchlings (Northen European Wyrm)
Dragon species
When we got the call about an ‘infestation of worms’, we might have reacted a mite too hastily with our stock (polite!) ‘we are a research institute, not Revery Pest Control’ response.
After the miscommunication was cleared up, we arrived at a small garden in the suburbs- only to find these week-old specimens of the European small wyrm causing havoc and destruction in their pursuit of a Sunday dinner.
These dragons are rarely found in built up areas (and almost never in the south of England) and there was no sign of the parent wyrm, who normally feeds young in the nest until they are a month old. It seemed as if the babies had been fending for themselves for a few days- feeding on insects and tearing up the garden in the process.
After a short (but chaotic) pursuit, Evelyn and I caught all three at the same time and took them back to the institute.
They have settled down in the break room in Keeley’s hat, whilst we contact the South West Dragon Centre to see if they have a spare pen…
F#17: Seafoam Dragon
Seafoam dragon (Draconis Nausicaa)
Aquatic fauna
The seafoam dragon is native to the Mediterranean sea, but this one showed up in Revery Harbour after a massive storm- she must have been blown off course.
This small aquatic dragon has long webbed forefingers, perfect for breaking open tightly closed shellfish and mollusks. They breathe both underwater and out of it, and lay their eggs in the sand like turtles. A clutch normally consists of five, one to three of which are expected to hatch. Once all the surviving eggs hatch, the parent leads the hatchlings to the water, and they stay in the sandy shallows for a few days before venturing further out.
Entry compiled by: Jesper Beattie
F#16: Butterfly Dragon (Draconis Papilionem)
Name: Butterfly dragon (Draconis Papilionem)
Classification: Fauna
Designation: Neutral
Notes: A standard feature of greetings cards, the butterfly dragon is a shy creature that prefers a warmer climate and plenty of fruit and nectar. A great place to spot them is an orchard after the first windfalls; descending in large flocks to feast on the fruit and bask in the sunshine.
Many attempts have been made to domesticate this member of the dragon family, but aside from a butterfly dragon perching on your hand there is not much chance of this.
They are not a species that thrives in captivity; well known to ‘fade’ both literally, their bright colours becoming dull, and figuratively, a greatly reduced lifespan. It’s far better to watch them in your garden, and wait for them to return the following summer.
Entry Complied by: Keeley Claremont
F#08: Wyvern Hatchling
Name: Wyvern Hatchling (‘Green Glass Scale’)
Class: Neutral
Designation: Fauna
Description: Green skinned with soft, transparent scales and large yellow eyes. Wyverns have a pair of wings as forelimbs, differentiating them from other dragon species, which typically have four legs + wings.
Notes: This wyvern hatched this morning, the first successful birth of its species in the South West Dragon Centre! Critically endangered, the ‘Green Glass’ Wyvern is named for its transparent scales, which take years to harden as it matures. This vulnerability has left the small dragon species struggling, but efforts to breed them in captivity are finally paying off.
More Pictures Below
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