In my paper “Mediaeval Kites and Windsocks”, I attempted to throw some new light on the curious dragon-shaped objects shown flying on the ends of lines, or fixed to the tops of poles, in a number of mediaeval and Renaissance books of military technology. Until recently these have usually been interpreted as primitive aerostats whose lift is supplemented by wind-forces similar to those which raise a kite.

A further illustration of the flying dragon is reproduced here (Fig 1). As it does not belong to any of the general categories or groups into which the other illustrations fall, it is worth considering in detail. Its three-part tail and general outline indicate that it bears some relationship to the dragons depicted in Figs. 6 and 7 of my paper.