Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology

BY: GEORGE M. EBERHART In this fascinating two-volume encyclopedia, author George M. Eberhart provides a comprehensive catalog of nearly

1,000 cryptids--unknown animals usually reported through eyewitness accounts and not yet described by science. Cryptids are the stuff of folklore, hoaxes, and genuine scientific breakthroughs. There are 400 now-classified cryptids once considered either extinct or pure fantasy. The cryptozoologist's job is to strip away the myth, misidentification, and mystery--and separate fact from fiction.

"Mysterious Creatures" covers everything from dinosaurs and the Emela-ntouka, an elephant-killing dinosaur-like animal of central Africa, to searches for the Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot, and other Cryptids. Entries about specific animals include the derivation or meaning of each cryptid's name, its scientific name, variant names, a physical description, behavior, description of tracks, habitat, significant sightings, present status, and possible explanations. Illustrations and photographs accompany many entries. The book also includes resources and references for further information.

Positive Aspects
This a great guide to the various cryptozoological beasts of the world. Entries about specific animals include the derivation or meaning of each cryptid's name, its scientific name, variant names, a physical description, behavior, description of tracks, habitat, significant sightings, present status, and possible explanations. Illustrations and photographs accompany many entries.

Negative Aspects
Unfortunately, it comes in two volumes at extravagantly high prices. However, both volumes can be obtained as a single free PDF at http://www.beastofbala.com/files/25.pdf.

Eberhart does not know his subject. He simply follows an all-too pervasive pattern of many other authors in the biological sciences of accepting whatever they've read by previous authors as gospel truth. I've mined the citations in the so-called "scientific" literature down to original sources. There is, in fact, no reliable evidence that any historic "breeding population" of jaguars ever existed in Arizona.

Eberhart did not examine or verify his sources and only spreads myth and misinformation in the publication this book.