Basilisk vs Cockatrice, - revised

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 79217

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboy_mn at y...> wrote:

> 
> bboy_mn:
> 
> Basilisk and Cockatrice - The difference? That's easy. A Basilisk 
> has rooster like characteristics, and a Cockatrice has HEN like
> characteristics. Short version- Basilisk=male, Cockatrice=female.
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> Just a thought.
> 
> bboy_mn

bboy_mn:

Here is another link to a website with info about the Basilisk/Cockatrice.

http://www.virtualworldlets.net/Papers/Hosted/Basilisk.php

It seems that the original legend of the Basilisk protray it as a very
small snake with a rooster like comb. However, the legend was
transformed in the Middle Ages into something more resembling a
Hypogryph-like combination of a rooster and a dragon.

So, I think JKR has treated these as two separate creatures. Something
along this line, although still not comforming completely to the
traditional myths-

Basilisk - legend says small and snake-like. JKR says extremely large
snake-like monster with killing capability similar too but not
including all aspect of the legendary Basilisk.

Cocktrice - The front of a cockatrice is like a rooster; head, body,
feet. The back and wings are like that of a dragon. Although, it is
not clear if this creature is dragon size or rooster size. Note the
Hypogryph's eagle portion has been enlarged to the scale of a horse. I
sense that with the Cockatrice, the dragon aspect have been reduced to
the scale of the rooster. However, I have seen artwork that portrays
the Cockatrice on the large scale of dragon. Exactly how closely the
Cockatrice's killing capability comforms to the legendary Cockatrice
in JKR's world is unknown.

So, if we treat these as two separate animal, JKR may have modified
the Cockatrice sufficiently to make it less than totally insane to
include in a Tri-Wiz task.

Trivia -
Basilisk in Greek means 'little king', however, translated into Latin
it becomes REGULUS. hummm..... Regulus... where have I heard that name
before?

http://www.occultopedia.com/b/basilisk.htm

A cockatrice is created when a serpent steals and successfully hatches
a chickens egg. It may also be born from a spherical, yolkless egg,
laid during the days of Sirius (the Dog Star) by a seven-year-old
rooster and hatched by a toad.

This site also says that the creature is about the size of a cat.

Its breath is also considered fatal. One recorded incident says that
Pope Leo IV was to have delivered Rome from a pestilence brought by
its breath.

The basilisk is also the common name for a genus of lizards from the
iguana family. They are harmless omnivores, which live in tropical
America from Ecuador to Mexico. They have four limbs and can run at
high speed on their hind legs and are well known to be able to run
across water.

http://www.blackforestpoultry.com/history.html

Just wanted to pass that along.

bboy_mn