184 MURID^E. 



5 toes as usual, have been separated as Alactaga, Gray, one species of 

 which, A lactaga indica, Gray, inhabits Afghanistan, and its habits have 

 been described by Hutton. Most of the jerboas are from Africa, a few 

 from Central Asia. They make most surprising jumps. 



Sub-fam. MURING, Hats and Mice. 

 Incisors compressed laterally, the lower ones acuminate, awl-shaped ; 



o o 



molars ; rooted, uniformly covered by enamel, the anterior one of 



3 3 



each series the largest, the posterior the smallest ; the upper molars shelve 

 somewhat backwards, the lower ones forwards. Fore-feet with 4 wide-set 

 toes, and a hallucar unguiculate wart; hind-feet with 5 toes. Tail usually 

 long, and thinly clad or nude, short and hairy in a few. Cosmopolite. 



This comprises the true rats and mice. Mr. Blyth, just before his 

 departure from India, wrote a valuable memoir on the rats and mice of 

 India, which has been my chief guide in treating of these little animals. 

 Much yet remains to be done in elucidating this group, and determining 

 the value of many of Mr. Hodgson's species. 



Gen. GERBILLUS, F. Cuvier. 



Char. Upper incisors grooved ; molars equably enamelled, with 

 transverse ridges, forming when worn oval figures. Ears oval. Head 

 lengthened and somewhat pointed. Hinder tarsus and toes elongated. 

 Tail long, hairy, with a tuft of hair at the tip. 



These field-rats have small fore limbs and well-developed hinder 

 limbs. Their form is somewhat slender, and their eyes are large. 

 They are extraordinarily agile, and form extensive burrows in plains, 

 especially in sandy districts, and also in sand-hills, but not generally in 

 cultivated fields. They are found in Africa and Asia. 



170. G-erbillus indicus. 



Dipus apud HARDWICKE, Lin. Tr. VIII. pi. 7. 111. Ind. Zool. 

 BLYTH, Cat. p. 110.* ELLIOT, Cat. 32. G. Ilardwickii, GRAY, and 

 G. Cuvieri, WATERHOUSE. Hurna mus, H., i. e. Antelope rat. Jhenku 

 inddr, Sansc. and Bengal. Yeri yelka of Waddurs. Tel yelka of the 

 Yanadees. Billa ilei, Can. 



* The printer has played such pranks with the subsequent numbers in Blyth's 

 Catalogue, that henceforth I will only cite the page. 



