This book explains some of the different breeds of dragon's found all over the world. I hope you enjoy this book for dragons are magnificent creatures.



ANTIPODEAN OPLEYE

The Opaleye is a native of New Zealand, though it has been known to migrate to Australia when territory becomes scarce in its native land. Unusually for a dragon, it dwells in valleys rather than mountains. This dragon however produces a very vivid scarlet flame, though by dragon standards it is not very aggressive though it has been known to attack larger prey. Opaleye eggs are palce grey and may be mistaken for fossils by unwary Muggles.

CHINESE FIREBALL

The only Oriental dragon has a particulary striking appearance. Scarlet and smooth-scaled, it has a fringe of golden spikes around its snub-snouted face. The Fireball gained its name for the mushroom-shaped flame that bursts from its nostrils when it is angry. Eggs are a vivid crimson speckled with gold and the shells are much prized for use in Chinese wizardry. The Fireball is aggressive but more tolerant of its own spcies than most dragons. The Fireball will feast on most mammals, though it prefers pigs and humans.

COMMON WELSH GREEN

The Welsh Green blends well with the lush grass of its homeland, though it nests in the higher mountains, where a reservation has been established for its preservation. This breed is amoung the least troublesome of the dragons, preferring, like the Opaleye, to prey on sheep and actively avoiding humans unless provoked. The Welsh Green has an easily reconisable roar. Fire is issued in thin jets. The Welsh Green's eggs are an earthy brown, flecked with green.

HEBRIDEAN BLACK

Britain's other native dragon is more aggressive than its Welsh counterpart. It requires territory of as much as a hundred square miles per dragon. Up to thirty feet in length, the Hebridean Black is rough-scaled, with brilliant purple eyes and a line of shallow but razor-sharp rdges along its back. Its tail is tipped by an arrow-shaped spike and it has bat-like wings. It mostly feeds on deer, though it has been known to carry off large dogs and even cattle.

HUNGARIAN HORNTAIL

Supposedly the most dangerous of all dragon breeds, the Horntail has black scales and is lizard-like in appearance. It has yellow eyes, bronze horns and similarly coloured spikes that protrude from its long tail. The Horntail has one of the longest fire-breathing ranges (up to fifty feet). Its eggs are cement-coloured and particulary hard-shelled. The young club there way outusing there tails, whose spikes are well developed. They mostly feed on goats, sheep, and whenever possible, humans.

NORWEGIAN RIDGEBACK

It resembles the Horntail in mosy ways, though it does not have tail spikes. They are very aggressive to their own kind. Nowaday the Ridgeback is one of the rarer dragon breeds. It is known to attack large land mammals and unusualy for a dragon, the Ridegback will also feed on water-dwelling creatures. Their eggs are black and the young develop fire-breathing abilitues earlier than other breeds (at between one and three months).

PERUVIAN VIPERTOOTH

This is the smalleset of all known dragons, and the swiftest un flight. A mere fifteen feet or so in length, the Vipertooth is smooth-scaled and copper coloured with black ridge markings. The horns are short and the fangs are particulary venomous. The Peruvian Vipertooth will feed on goats and cows, but has a thing for humans.

ROMANIAN LONGHORN

The Longhorn has dark-green scales and long glittering golden horns with which it gores its prey before roasting it. When powered, these horns are highly valued as potion ingredients. The native territory of the Longhorn has now become the world's most important dragon reservation, where wizards of all kinds study these dragons very closely.

SWEDISH SHORT-SNOUT

The Swedish Short-Snout is an attractive silvery-blue dragon whose skin is sought after for the manufacture of protective gloves and shields. The flame that issues from its nostrils is a brilliant blue and can redue timber and bone to ash in a mater of senconds. The Short-Snout has fewer human killings to its name than most dragons, though it prefers to live in wild and mountainous areas.

UKRAINIAN IRONBELLY

The largest breed of dragon, the Ironbelly has been known to achieve a weight of six tonnes. It is slower in flight than the Vipertooth or the Longhorn but it is extremely dangerous and capable of crushing dwellings on which it lands. The scales are metallic grey, the eyes deep red and then talons long and vicious.