Coalsparry

Habitat: caverns and abandoned mines of Ohio, West Virginia, and sometimes Kentucky

Size: 6 - 8 feet long; 600 - 900 lbs

Diet: hematophagic

Reproduction: oviparous; 3 eggs per clutch

Society: solitary or in groups of up to five

Lifespan: 12 years

Snallygasters vary from region to region. Some have tentacles, feathers, different colored scales, egg descriptions, and even temperaments! The Coalsparries (named for their association with abandoned mines) are a cave-dwelling species devoid of feathers and teeth; they subsist entirely on blood and their screech (as many Snallygasters') sounds like a train whistle. Covered in shiny, miniscule black scales, they have a large, inky, glassy eye, short, sharp beak, and pronged tail—capable of temporarily paralyzing those it strikes.

Nocturnal animals, these dragons remain in their dwellings during the day; flexible and agile, they can climb, hang upside down, and grip stone, effortlessly. They sleep in seemingly uncomfortable positions on the wall or ceiling. Emerging from dens after 9 - 10 p.m., they hunt during the night, utilizing heat vision. Holding prey down, they pierce and tear flesh with their beaks, lapping up blood with a rough tongue.