Facts, Figures, and Defining Terms • 19
ing a thought to recharging their solar selves. Cold-climate Dragons have even been known to employ kleptothermy— the “stealing” or sharing of body warmth—to get themselves through long winter nights. Unlike other reptiles, Dragons can also sport fur and feathers. But they are all scaled to one degree or another. Feathered Dragons, as their name attests, are arrayed with exquisite plumage, and the manes and ankle tufts of Oriental Dragons are legendary. Even Western Dragons emerge from their eggs with a fine fuzzy coat which serves to keep the hatchlings warm and toasty. While the majority of Western Dragons shed this infant down by the summer of their third year, rimed Siberian and Polar Dragons have been known to retain this extra layer of insulation around neck and chest well into adulthood, even letting it grow thick and shaggy. Against the biting winds and blizzarding snows, every little bit helps. Not all True Dragons fly. And some Dragons who do fly—like the more exalted Oriental breeds—manage without benefit of wings. Scientists are still trying to figure that one out, though many simply shrug their shoulders and file it under “mysterious Dragon stuff.” The fact is, as cuttingedge as cryptoherpetology is, what we don’t know far outweighs what we do. At present, there are still many things about Dragons that are met with a wink, a nod, and an “Oy vey!” or “That’s funny.” In short, there is a lot left to discover, and the field is wide open for the curious and diligent (no slackers need apply). Not all Dragons breathe fire. Fire is the defensive weapon of choice for Western Dragons and a select group of pseudodragons, like the fire drake (the name “fire drake” is a dead