
Hippogriff, n.:
	An animal (now extinct) which was half horse and half griffin.
	The griffin was itself a compound creature, half lion and half eagle.
	The hippogriff was actually, therefore, only one quarter eagle, which
	is two dollars and fifty cents in gold.  The study of zoology is full
	of surprises.
		-- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary"
