14 FAUNA AND FLORA OF PALESTINE. 



Armenia, had long existed in the British Museum hidden and un- 

 known. 



In a specimen of the large Snake, Ccvlopeltis lacertina, taken by me in 

 1863 on the plain of Gennesaret, Mr. O. Thomas lately found, on open- 

 ing the stomach of the Snake, a perfect example of this Vole, clearly 

 proving its existence in Palestine. 



FAMILY, SPALACID.'E. 



57. Spalax typhhis. Pall. Zoog. Ross.-Asiat. i., p. 159. Mole-Rat. 

 Heb. nna nbn. Arab. e^vJi., Khlunt. 



Plate V. 



The Mole-Rat is very common throughout the country, where our 

 Mole (Talpa eicropcca) does not exist; nor has any species of the true 

 Mole been found there. It lives chiefly about ruins, and is an exclusively 

 vegetable feeder, attacking onions and other bulbs in gardens. It is 

 much larger than our Mole, eight or nine inches long, and lives in societies 

 in burrows, rarely, if ever, coming to the surface. It is mentioned in 

 Scripture (Isaiah ii. 20). 



The Spalax is found throughout the whole of South-eastern Europe, 

 in Southern Asiatic Russia, and Syria. 



FAMILY, DIPODID.E. 



58. Dipus a:gyptiiis. Licht. Springmause, 19. The Jerboa. Arab, 

 cjj^, D jerboa. 



The Jerboa is very common in all the desert districts. This species 

 is found throuehout North Africa and Arabia. It has not been observed 

 further east than Palestine. 



59. Dipjts sagitta. Schreb. Mamm. iv., tab. 229. 



Stated to be found in Syria. Has not come under my notice. It is 

 a Mongolian and Central Asiatic species, with a very wide range. 



60. Diptis Jiirtipcs. Licht. Springmause, 20. Rough-footed Jerboa. 



Plate VI. 

 Found in the deserts east of Jordan. 



