# Impossible request? Identifying a statue in England from a 1918 photo **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 2, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impossible-request-identifying-a-statue-in-england-from-a-1918-photo/747760 "2016-03-02T19:27:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impossible-request-identifying-a-statue-in-england-from-a-1918-photo/747760/21 "2016-03-03T17:17:24Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > The pose is reminiscent of the eagle in the [Badge of the Royal Air Force](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badge_of_the_Royal_Air_Force). No offense, but that looks more like a goose. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impossible-request-identifying-a-statue-in-england-from-a-1918-photo/747760/22 "2017-05-26T03:14:56Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > (There’s a great deal of overlap between basilisks and cockatrices – they’re almost identical). A Basilisk is a snake fathered by a rooster: The Cockatrice is a chicken fathered by a snake. To me, the OP looks more like a Griffin (Eagle/Lion), but it’s not in a typical Griffin pose. Definitely not a Dragon, because it has feathers (Dragons have bat wings). ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impossible-request-identifying-a-statue-in-england-from-a-1918-photo/747760/23 "2017-05-26T08:30:18Z")
That man’s tie has a completely square end. The creature is clearly a duck. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impossible-request-identifying-a-statue-in-england-from-a-1918-photo/747760/24 "2017-05-26T23:06:30Z")
I’m going with phoenix, based on quick glance at [Wiki](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(mythology)) and OP image. The stance of the bird, fighting or aggressively rising, seems right also. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impossible-request-identifying-a-statue-in-england-from-a-1918-photo/747760/25 "2017-05-27T01:55:54Z")
Cool photograph, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impossible-request-identifying-a-statue-in-england-from-a-1918-photo/747760/26 "2017-05-27T02:32:48Z")
It appears to have the wrong sort of wings for either a cockatrice or a basilisk. Griffin/gryphon doesn’t work because there’s no indication of lion parts on it. It appears to be birdie all the way down. Still, it’s got to be a cryptid, 'cos no eagle’s head is going to be that far from its torso and no goose will have a beak like that). I’m voting with the faction that goes for phoenix. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impossible-request-identifying-a-statue-in-england-from-a-1918-photo/747760/27 "2017-05-27T04:26:47Z")
It looks like a Turul. It even has a sword at it’s feet which is quite common for turul statues. If the statue _is_ in England, I bet it has Hungarian roots. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impossible-request-identifying-a-statue-in-england-from-a-1918-photo/747760.md?page=1)