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Spearhafoc — Koree

Published: 2013-07-16 16:32:27 +0000 UTC; Views: 1821; Favourites: 28; Downloads: 10
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Description The Koree / Koroo, giant man-eating bird of the Martian desert from Otis Adelbert Kline’s The Swordsman of Mars (1933) and The Outlaws of Mars (1933). The name changed between book one and two - I’m not sure why - but the descriptions match otherwise.




"As the thing rapidly drew closer he was able to make out a huge head with a hooked beak, a long, scrawny neck, and a large, bird-like body supported by two legs, each of which was at least fifteen feet in length. The head of the monster, he judged, towered at least thirty feet above the ground."

"It was a hideous thing—a giant bird with a crest of waving plumes, and a huge curved beak that looked fully capable of cutting a man in two with a single snap.

Its long lean neck was bare of feathers and covered with a wrinkled, leathery skin. Like the neck, the body was leathery and naked. The wings, which were short and obviously useless for flight, were featherless, but covered with sharp, horny protuberances which made them quite formidable weapons. The long legs were armored with large, rough scales, and the toes were equipped with sickle-shaped retractile claws. The monster ran with its ugly head projecting far forward and its wings sticking stiffly out from its leathery body, as if to prevent its intended victim from suddenly doubling back to the right or left."

"As he gazed, it emerged upon the bank, a gigantic and hideous bird, fully forty feet in height.

Its long lean neck and scrawny body were leathery and bare of feathers. On its huge head was a waving crest of plumes. Its beak, which was four feet in length and two in width at the base, was hooked like that of an eagle. The short wings were covered with sharp spines in lieu of feathers. The long scaly legs were adaptable either for wading or swimming, and there were leathery webs between the toes, which were armed with immense, sickle-shaped talons."

"At sight of them its crest rose and its horny wings, which had been hanging at its sides, were suddenly elevated to a horizontal position. Then, with a peculiar booming cry, it charged swiftly toward them."
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Comments: 1

kargaroc586 [2013-07-16 17:01:42 +0000 UTC]

:O Oh wow!

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