This very intriguing page is from a book called:

“Historiae Animalium”

(Histories of the Animals)

Published in Zurich between 1551-58, and again in 1587.

It is an encyclopaedic work cataloguing Renaissance zoology, authored by Conrad Gesner, a physician and professor at the Carolinum, the forerunner of the University of Zurich.

The creatures you see on this page are described as real beings, with witness testimonies to go with the claims.

This beast has the name: “Sea Pan or a sea Satyr, or Ichthyocentaurus, or Damon marinus.”

The following is a partial translation from this page:

“Under Pope Eugene IV, in the city of Sibenico in Illyricum, a marine man was captured who drew a child to the sea. He was wounded by currents and stones, and brought ashore. His figure was almost human, except that his skin resembled an eel’s, and he had two small horns on his head. His hands showed only two fingers each. His feet seemed to split into two tails, which extended like wings to his arms, as in a bat.

Baptista Fulgosius describes more in our History of Aquatic Creatures, particularly regarding the Triton.”

It’s astonishing to think that creatures like this were once documented as real, yet today, they have vanished from all record.

Full translation in comments.