Snakes

[Allen W Thrasher]

At least in the West there are many representations, from the Greeks on
down,  of serpents or serpent-like creatures with crests somewhat like
those of a bird (e.g. a chicken or peacock). E.g. the basilisk.  I don't
recall any in India but that doesn't mean there aren't any. I wonder if
there could be some connection with the chicken-named snake.

Where the crest comes from  in these imagined creatures is another most
interesting question.

Allen



Allen W. Thrasher, Ph.D.
Senior Reference Librarian
Southern Asia Section
Asian Division
Library of Congress
Jefferson Building 150
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20540-4810
tel. 202-707-3732
fax 202-707-1724
athr at loc.gov
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