190 



TORRID JERBOA. 



Dipus Meridianus. D. palmis subtetradactylis, plantis pentadac- 

 tylis, cauda concolore. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmel. p. 159. 



Yellowish-brown Jerboa, white beneath, with subtetradactyle 

 fore-feet, pentadactyle hind-feet, and tapering tail of the 

 same colour with the body. 



Mus longipes. Lin. Syst. Nat. p. 84. Pall. Gfir. p. 88. 



Torrid Jerboa. Pennant Quadr. 2. p. 171. 



THIS species, according to Dr. Pallas, was first 

 figured by Seba, whose specimen appears to have 

 been not fully grown. Specimens were brought 

 to Dr. Pallas in the year 1770, which were taken 

 on the borders of the sandy desert of Naryn, in 

 46| north latitude. The burrows or passages 

 Avhich they had formed in the dry soil, had a 

 triple entrance, and were about an ell deep in the 

 ground. The size of this species is between that 

 of a rat and a field-mouse ; and notwithstanding 

 the great length of the hind legs, it does not 

 leap, like the rest of the Jerboas, but runs in the 

 manner of the rat tribe ; and it seems to be on 

 this account that Mr. Pennant has ranked it un- 

 der his division of Jerboid Fiats, rather than 

 among the true Jerboas. The length from nose 

 to tail is rather more than four inches ; and of the 

 tail rather more than three : the nose is blunt ; 

 the mouth placed far beneath ; the upper lip 

 bifid ; the ears large and rounded ; the fore legs 

 short, with four toes, and a tubercle in place of a 

 thumb : the hind legs long and naked : the toes 

 long and slender ; the exterior one shorter than 



