neio Species 0/ Gerbillus and Taterillus. 147 



the middle dorsal area greyer, though tins difference may be 

 less marked in older specimens. Under surface less absolutely 

 pure white than usual, the hairs, especially in the inguinal 

 region, with a slight tinge of buffy. Postorbital light patches 

 present, but not very sharply defined ; below them on each 

 side, between eye and ear, there is a distinct patch of grey 

 hairs. Ears with proectote buffy, the rest whitish ; post- 

 auricular white patch sharply defined. Hands and feet 

 white, but a slight tendency to buffy appears on the wrists ; 

 soles all hairy except for a small round patch on the heel. 

 Tail not proportionally long; dull buffy, little lighter below; 

 its terminal dark crest inconspicuous. 



Skull of the general build of that of G. gerbillus, but the 

 bulltB smaller. Supraorbital beads little developed. 

 Dimensions of the type (measured in flesh) : — 

 Head and body 70 mm. ; tail 95; hind foot 24 ; ear 9. 

 Skull : greatest length 26'2 ; condylo-incisive length 23 ; 

 zygomatic breadth 14*5 ; nasals 9*6 ; interorbital breadth 5 - 2 ; 

 breadth of brain-case 13*3 ; zygomatic plate 3'9 ; palatal 

 foramina, anterior 4*4, posterior 2*2 ; greatest horizontal 

 diagonal diameter of bulla 9"2 ; breadth of bulla at right 

 angles to last, exclusive of meatus, 5"7 ; upper molar series 4. 

 Hob. Coast region of Palestine. Type from Rehobofc, near 

 Jaffa. 



Type. Young adult male. B.M. no. 14. 5. 29. 5. Original 

 number 8. Collected 3rd February, 1914, by T. Aliaroni. 

 Presented by the Hon. N. Charles Rothschild. 



This is evidently the species which Nehring * assigned to 

 G. longicaudus, Wagn. But Wagner's animal, which I have 

 seen in Munich, was from Egypt, and was clearly referable 

 to G. gerbilliiSj as has been shown by Anderson and de Winton. 

 The Palestine gerbil seems to be related to G. agag, Thos., 

 but is readily distinguishable by its less bright colour, greyer 

 back, and the greyish patches between eye and ear. 



I have named it in honour of the general to whose forces 

 the country where it occurs owes release from the barbarian 

 domination under which it has suffered for so many centuries. 



Gerbillus acticola, sp. n. 



Near G. pygargus, but the bullae larger. 

 Size and colour as in G* pygargus, of the same light 

 desert-colour — quite unlike that of G. dunni of Central 



* SB. Ges. Fr. Berl. 1901, p. 173. 



