NESOKU INPICA, 187 



localities it frequents it is far more abundant than I have even seen 

 G. indicus in the most favoui'able spots. 



There are many other species of Gerbill on I'ecorcl, both from Asia 

 and Africa, 



Near the Gerbills should be placed the genus Meriones, F. Cuvier, 

 from North America. It differs from the former in having still longer 

 hind-feet, the tail being nearly naked, and in having a very small 

 tootli in front of the upper molars, as in the trixe Jerboas. 



Gen. Nesokia, Gray. 



Char. — Incisors very large, flat in front, and smooth ; the anterior 

 upper molars large, with three transverse ridges ; the middle ones 

 oblong; and the posterior the smallest, narrowed behind and with two 

 ridges ; the three middle toes subequal, long ; claws small, compressed ; 

 ears moderate, nude ; tail short, naked. 



"This genus," says its founder^ "is easily known from J/i«s by the 

 large size of the cu.tting teeth, and the comparative shortening of the 

 tail j it appears to be intermediate to the Hats and Rhizomys" On 

 this Mr. Blyth remarks that he can perceive no particular approxima- 

 tion, but I fancy Mr. Gray only meant the general reaemblance of a 

 large bluff head, large teeth, and a short naked tail. This bluflf aspect 

 led him formerly to class the best-known species as an Arvicola. 



172. Nesokia indica. 



Mus apud Geoffroy. — Blyth, Cat. p. 112. — Avicola indica, Gray, 

 figd. Hardwicke, 111. Ind. Zool. — M. Jcok, Gray. — 31. 2^'>'ovidens, 

 Elliot, Cat. 31. — JI, 2>yctoris, Hodgson. — KoJc, Can. — Golatta koku, 

 Tel, of Yanadees. 



The Indian Mole-rat. 



Descr. — Fur long and somewhat harsh, brown mixed with fawn, the 

 short fur softer and dusky ; paler beneath and tinged gray ; the colour 

 generally being like that of the common rat, but with more fawn or red 

 intermixed, and lighter beneath ; head short and truncated ; ears small, 

 nearly round, covered with a fine down or small hairs ; tail naked, 

 nearly as long as the body without the head ; whiskers long and full ; 

 incisors orange-yellow. 



