Know Your Cryptids: The Snallygaster

Half-bird, half-reptile, the giant snallygaster has been terrorizing people in Maryland since the 1700s. It supposedly swoops down on its prey and flies away with them clutched in its metallic claws. Some versions of the snallygaster even report the beast sporting tentacles — all the better to snatch you with.

Why does it always have to be tentacles?

First reported by German settlers in 1735, the monster was originally called the “schnelle geist” – German for “fast ghost.” This later became bastardized to snallygaster, because — let’s face it – that’s just more fun to say. In it heyday, the snallygaster was pretty famous. Not Bigfoot-famous (it wishes!) but famous enough for Teddy Roosevelt to have a go at hunting it. At least according to the shady yellow journalism-style papers popular at the time. 

As he scraped Merle’s charred remains into a tote sack, Willie realized the shotguns were were not well thought out.