The calygreyhound is a mythical creature that appears on

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...

heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch ...

. The de Vere family, who were the

Earls of Oxford Earl of Oxford is a dormant title in the Peerage of England, first created for Aubrey de Vere by the Empress Matilda in 1141. His family was to hold the title for more than five and a half centuries, until the death of the 20th Earl in 1703. ...

, used the calygreyhound in their coat of arms in the 15th and 16th centuries. The calygreyhound may be unique to the de Veres, and unlike most heraldic monsters, it made no attempt to seem realistic. A similar monster is the caretyne.

Description

The calygreyhound is described consistently as having the head of a

wildcat The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while the ...

, the torso of a

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...

antelope The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even-toed ruminant that are indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelope comprise a wastebasket taxon defined as any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mammals ...

, the claws of an

eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

on its forefeet, ox hooves, antlers or horns, the hind legs of a lion or ox, and its tail like a lion or

poodle , nickname = , stock = , country = Germany or France (see history) , height = , maleheight = , femaleheight = , weight = , maleweight = , femaleweight = , coat ...

. On some rare occasions, the Calygreyhound may be seen as depicted with the wings of an eagle. It is said to represent speed or swiftness. It is generally accepted that the calygreyhound is simply a figment of the artist's imagination, but some parts of it are based on reality. When it is depicted, it does not have a consistent position.

References

{{Reflist Heraldic beasts Medieval European legendary creatures Mythological bovines Mythological caprids Mythological deer Mythological dogs Mythological felines Mythological hybrids