( >n Two leic dirlUs from Sinai. ,159 



TjX. — 7"fr<) new (iarhils from Siiuii. 

 By Oldfikm) Thomas. 



(Published by pprmission of tlio I'nistoes of tho IJriti.sh .MuH.'uin.) 



I owe to the kiiidiicss of the authorities of the Ej^yptiaii 

 Zooh>pical Service at Giza the opportunity of exaniiniii;r ji 

 miiuber of small inaininals from E;^ypt anl Sinai, and amon;^ 

 the.se thero are examples of the two following now spcciea of 

 GerbiUxis : — 



Gerbillus Jioweri, sp. n. 



A large species, with comparatively broad skull and large 

 bnllse. 



Size of the type, which is old, about as in average specimens 

 of G. pyramhluin, not so larjje as the largest examj)le3 of that, 

 rather variable species. General colour the usual pale 

 " gerbil-colour," the back finely speckled with the minute 

 brown tips to the dorsal hairs; white under sijrface extending 

 liigh up on shoulders, and including the whole of the limbs. 

 Soles completely hairy, except just under the heel. Usual 

 postorbital and postauricular wiiite patclies distinct. Tail 

 bufTy above, white on sides and below; tip missing in tvpe. 



tSkull proportionally broad, as broad as in a consi<lerabIy 

 longer skull of G. pyramidum. Palatal foramina well open, 

 extending back to the level of the front of the roots of ?n*. 

 Bulla; larger than in any of the Egyptian or Syrian species, 

 longer but less broadly swollen than in the peculiar G. vd- 

 lintis of S.W. Africa. 



Dimensions of the type (measured on skin) : — 



Head and body 127 mm. ; tail (?) ; hind foot 3.5. 



Skull ; greatest length 34 ; condylo-incisive length 30 ; 

 greatest breadth 19 ; nasals 13'6 x 3*3 ; intcrorbit.d breadth 

 6'7 ; breadth of brain-case Ifi ; bi-meatal breadth 18*2; 

 palatine foramina G"5 ; bulla3, diagonal length 11*8, breadth 

 at right angles to last (exclusive of meatus) Hg ; nj)per 

 tooth-row (considerably worn) 4".'). 



Hall, (of type). Wadi Hareidin, e\treme northern Sinai, a 

 a few miles south of El Arish, about 31° N., 34° E. 



Ti/pe. Old male. B.M. no. 19. 5. 7. 4. Giza Museum 

 no. 8042. Collected 24th December, 1918, by Cnpf. S. S. 

 Flower, and presented by the Giza Zoological Service. One 

 specimen. 



