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THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XLIX 



In the original edition of the work just quoted wood- 

 cuts are given of both the opossum and armadillo (Dasy- 

 pus uovemcinctus Linn.) and these are reproduced in the 

 present article (Fig. 1) from a copy belonging to the New 

 York Public Library. The armadillo is thus described in 

 Stade's "Wahrhaftig Historia": 



There is another sort of animal found in this country which the 

 savages call dattu; it stands about six inches high and is nine inches 

 long; its body is covered all over, except underneath, with a kind of 

 armor. This covering is horn-like, and the plates overlap one another 

 like those of chain armor. This animal has a very long snout, and is 

 usually found on rocks. It feeds on ants. Its flesh is sweet and I have 

 often eaten of it. 



Two works published at about the same time as the 

 narrative of Stade also contain mention of the opossum, 

 the name of "Simivulpa" or Fox-ape and "Su" being 



applied to the creature. In the Italian edition (1558) 

 of Sebastian Minister's "Cosmographia" occurs this 

 passage, accompanied by an illustration which we have 

 reproduced in Fig. 2 : 



