It's a falcon on 80v - with Chaucer's magical ring

[SherriMM]

Sherri, you said that the artist made a mistake and partially erased the third leg. May I ask which is the third, because I can still see all three. Do you mean the one closest to the face? Because I do think that one is kind of wrong, although i think it is suposed to be there. And then you have the bending over stance. But as others pointed out, even if you ruffle a bird's feathers, they go back the other way, so what would this mean? Also, it would seem to be looking out of both sides of its face, with the eye in the middle. I generally see a type of wild goat, looks like horns to me, what would it be on a bird? A cock's comb maybe? Well, not for a Peregrine Falcon. 
Perhaps some kind of semi animation where two faces at once convey movement?

Hi Linda, 
Yes I meant the leg closest to the face. I still think the creature closely resembles a falcon - or griffin (a male griffin that would not have wings). Perhaps the author left instruction for a gryfalcon and the illustrator took it to mean griffin? The "upside down" scales / feathers are hard to reconcile. Right now I'm looking at earlier traditions of the magical ring story, especially that of King Solomon, and would love more ideas.