SCIENTIFIC RESULTS FROM THE MAMMAL SURf'EY. 41 



terminates more abnipth' at its OTiter end in Taterona tlian in 

 Tatera, in which latter it is also usually broader. These last 

 two characters however, though true in a very large number of 

 cases, are not constantl}' reliable. 



The Geographical ranges of Tatera and Taterona correspond 

 with the continents of Asia and Africa respectiveh'. 



When I studied these Gerbils some j-ears ago (A.]\I.N.H. 7, 

 Vol. XVII, p. 474, 1906), the material available from India was so 

 scanty that I was forced to content myself with recognising the 

 two species indica and cuvieri. With the material now made avail- 

 able by the Survey, I have been encoTiraged to make a fresh 

 examination of the forms contained in the Genus Tatera as 

 restricted above. 



The species of the Genus Tatera. 



The Genotype and earliest species? of Tatera to be described 

 was G. iiidicns by Mr. Hardwicke in 1807. The type locality was 

 given as " India." The type itself is in the National Collection, 

 but faded almost bej^ond recognition and with its skull much dam- 

 aged. In 1838 Mr. Waterhouse separated cuvieri, also giving the 

 tj^DC locality as " India". Thist^-peis likewise in the National Col- 

 lection, having been received from the Zoological Society so long as 

 60 years ago. A manuscript catalogue of that Societ3''s Collection 

 before it was dispersed, which has recenth' been found shows that 

 the specimen was from Arcot, Madras. In 1843, Mr. Gray, in 

 his List of Mammalia, published the name G. liardwickei ^\■ithout 

 any description, but he placed under it as synonyms " G. indicus, 

 Waterhouse and Mus (Gerbillus) indicus, Elliot." Waterhouse in 

 describing his cuvieri compares certain of its characters Avith those 

 of an animal which he calls " Gerhillus indicus, Hardwicke", these 

 characters, however, are such that an}^ determination of the exact 

 animal referred to is impossible. Mr. Elliot, however, gives a very 

 full description of the Dharwar Tatera (under the name Gerhillvs 

 indicus, Hardwicke) of which several specimens, unfortunately in 

 very poor condition, contributed by Mr. Elliot himself, are in the 

 Kational Collection. As Mr. Waterhouse recorded nothing which 

 does not apply to this animal we are entitled, indeed constrained, to 

 accept the Dhar\A'ar Tatera as the animal indicated under the name 

 hardAvicTx^i by Mr. Graj" and to consider Mr. Elliot's specimens as 

 the co-tj-pes. . Ten j-earsago (A.M.N.H. 7, Vol. XVII. p. 499,1906) 

 I named T. ceylonica, basing it on a single immature specimen 

 very badl}' made up. The characters, I recorded, are, on more 

 careful examination and comparison with Surve}' specimens, shown 

 to be misleading. It is now clear that the type of cet/lonica is 

 really a young animal of thespecies of which very long series were 

 obtained in Cevlon bv Major Mavor. Next the series obtained by 



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