THE EGYPTIAN JERBOA 205 



evident to the eye, the invalid's legs and tail will 

 be seen to be woefully thin as compared with 

 those of a healthy jerboa. These animals often 

 die one after the other of this wasting complaint, 

 so that it may be directly communicable from a 

 sick to a healthy animal. A post-mortem exam- 

 ination made on the body of one victim revealed 

 no obvious changes in the viscera. The zoo- 

 logical pathologist in the investigation of this 

 disease will find a new field for his labours. 

 Tubercular disease on one hand or coccidiosis 1 on 

 the other, may be responsible for the mortality. 



Apart from a liability to this disease, jerboas seem 

 to be tough enough : and when in health they 

 require no more care than so many rabbits. Their 

 appetites are hearty, and they will readily take 

 crushed oats, millet seed, bread, cabbage, and 

 lettuce, whilst water should also be given them 

 in an unspillable vessel, as damp surroundings 

 are injurious to these denizens of the hot Sahara. 

 All woodwork must be protected from their 

 mischievous teeth by a lining of sheet-iron, but 

 they may be allowed to exercise their jaws by 

 stripping the bark from a branch thrown into the 

 cage. Sand or sawdust should be freely sprinkled 

 over the floor of their compartment, sawdust (as 

 being warmer to the animal's feet) being prefer- 



1 Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease due to the presence of minute 

 sporozoa in the liver or intestine, and is so fatal to rabbits, that it 

 might prove useful in reducing the Australian rabbit plague. 



