Of the SIMIVULPA, or Apish-Fox.
THose which have travelled the Countrey of Payran, do affirme, that they have seen a four-footed beast, called in Latin, Simiculpa, in Greek, Alopecopithecos, and in German, Fuchssaffe: in * 1.1 the forepatt like a Fox, and in the hinder part like an Ape, except that it had mans feet, and ears like a Bat, and underneath the common belly, there was a skin like a bag or scrip, where∣in she keepeth, lodgeth, and carryeth her young ones, untill they are able to provide for them∣selves, without the help of their dam; neither do they come forth of that receptacle, except it be to suck milk, or sport themselves, so that the same under-belly is her best remedy against the furi∣ous Hunters, and other ravening beasts, to preserve her young ones, for she is incredibly swift, running with that carriage as if she had no burthen. It hath a tail like a Munkey: there was one of them with three young Whelpes taken and brought into a ship, but the Whelps died quickly: the old one living longer was brought to Sivill, and afterward to Granado, where the King of Spain saw it, which soon after by reason of the change of aire and incertainty of diet, did also pine away and die. The like things doth Cardan report of a beast called Chiurca, in Hispania Nova, and Stadinius of a Suruvoy in America: but I conjecture that the former is this Fox-Ape called in Greek, Alopecopithecos, and of the Germans Fuschsaffe, the latter the Female Cynocephal, which carryeth her womb wherein lie her young ones without her belly. There is a fish called Glaucus, whereof the * 1.2 male swalloweth up all the young ones when they are indangered by other, and afterward yeeldeth * 1.3 them forth again safe and sound.