| A | B |
|---|
| ape or monkey | sin, malice, cunning, lust; slothful soul (blind, greedy, sinful); Satan |
| ass or donkey | docility, humility, long-suffering, simplicity; stubborness, stupidity |
| basilisk | the Devil, Antichrist |
| bee | industry, creativity, wealth, good order; eloquence; Chuch as harmonious whole |
| bird | soul or spirit |
| butterfly | resurrection, eternal life, metamorphosis to a new and beatiful form |
| cat | laziness, lust; independence, grace, quietness |
| black cat | evil and death |
| centaur | savage passion, adultery; brute force, excess; heresy; human divided against self |
| cock | vigilance; Peter's denial of Christ & later repentance |
| dog | watchfulness & fidelity; unbeliever, hypocrite; Gentile |
| dolphin | resurrection & salvation; two natures of Christ |
| dolphin with anchor | controlled speed and prudence |
| dolphin with trident | Crucifixion |
| dove | Holy Spirit; simplicity, gentleness, affection; human soul |
| dove with olive branch | peace |
| seven doves | seven gifts of the Holy Spirit |
| twelve doves | twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit |
| dove drinking at fountain or pecking bread | soul nourished by the Eucharist |
| dragon | Satan and evil |
| eagle | soaring spirit, Christian spirit; resurrection, |
| fish | (Gk ichthus, "fish") Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior; baptism; the faithful; souls |
| fly | bearer of bad tidings, pestilence, evil, sin |
| goldfinch | (nests in thorny plants) Crown of Thorns, hence Crucifixtion and Passion |
| grasshopper or locust | forces of destruction |
| griffin | two natures of Christ; anti-Christ; valor |
| hind, hart, or stag | faithful Christian longing for God; solitude, purity of life |
| lamb | Christ as atoning sacrifice; purity, innocence, docility; temperance, prudence, charity |
| lamb with staff, banner, and cross | Resurrection and Christ as Redeemer |
| lamb sitting on book sealed with seven seals | Lamb of the Apocalypse |
| lamb standing on mountain with four rivers | lamb = Christ, mountain = the Church, four rivers = gospels or rivers of paradise |
| twelve lambs | twelve apostles |
| sheep | jews, Christians, faithful believers |
| lamb with Christ as Good Shepherd | sinner rescued by Christ |
| lamb reclining | Christ's wounded flesh |
| lamb standing | Christ triumphant |
| lion | fortitude, resolution; resurrection; vigilance; pride, ruler, Satan |
| mermaid, siren, harpy | seductive temptations of life to be overcome; women, earth (as opposed to heaven) |
| owl | death, night, cold, solitude; wisdom; Jews; Satan |
| ox or bullock | sacrifice; Jews; patience, strength, docility, humility; Redeemer Christ; faithful laborer |
| peacock | resurrection & immortality; Christian crying to God for help; all-seeing church |
| pelican | angry, vengeful God that later repents, nourishes, and grants salvation |
| pelican nesting atop a cross | atonement |
| pelican piercing own breast | Christ's shedding of blood for sinners |
| phoenix | Resurrcetion of Christ; triumph of life over death |
| raven | evil, Devil, death; positive symbol of hermit saint |
| snake or serpent | wisdom; evil and Satan |
| snake with its tail in its mouth | eternity |
| serpent wound around a cross | Christ crucified (cf. Moses and the brazen serpent) |
| serpent with apple in its mouth, encircling globe | sin of humanity (Mary stands on globe trampling serpent under foot) |
| spider | evil and Satan; miser; fragility and weakness of human nature; wisdom |
| stork | Annunication; prudence, filial faithfulness, piety; loneliness |
| swallow | Spring, the Resurrection, and the Incarnation of Christ |
| unicorn | the Annunciation and Christ; purity, chastity, virgin saints |
| whale or "great fish" | Resurrection; salvation for those who keep the faith; containment and concealment |
| whale with open mouth | gates of hell |
| cockatrice (adder, viper, asp; basilisk) | judgment |
| fox | cunning, evil men; surreptitious devilish activity |
| ant | industry, preparation, wisdom |
| leopard | sinful nature |
| horse | strength, power, conquest -- esp. in battle |
| beast | government; worldly kingdom, political power; cruelty |
| bear | cruelty, destructive power; reforming power of Christianity |
| wolf | corruption, evil; disguised enemy; flase teacher |
| goat | sin, sinners, those who stray; antithesis of sheep; an unfaithful leader |
| white horse | victory |
| ram | a leader |
| calf | praise, thanksgiving |
| camel | service, temperance; burden bearer; royalty, dignity |
| cankerworm | destructive power |
| coney | wisdom in hiding |
| hare | uncleanness, evil, Satan |
| scorpion | evil spirits, evil men, pain |
| wild ass | humanity's unregenerate state; stubbornness; wildness |
| worm | judgment |
| frog | boastful croaking, pomposity, an air of superiority |
| blackbird | darkness, sin, alluring temptations of flesh |
| bull | brute strength |
| crane | vigilance, loyalty, good life & works, good order in monastic life |
