The Dard is peculiar to the department of Vienne in France, but its physiognomy recalls that of the alpine dragons – and, like them, it probably evolved from mustelid accounts. It is a serpent with four legs and a short viper’s tail. It has the head of a cat and a mane running down its dorsal spine.
Dards drink milk from cows and can produce a terrifying whistle. They are nonvenomous, but bite viciously when provoked.
Peasants in Vienne claimed to recognize the dard’s likeness in the carvings of certain churches.
References
Ellenberger, H. (1949) Le Monde Fantastique dans le Folklore de la Vienne. Nouvelle Revue des Traditions Populaires, 1(5), pp. 407-435.