15^ TRAVELS IN UPPER 



semblance between the jerbo of Egypt and the 

 alagtaga of Tartary, described by Gmelin *, and 

 which has probably escaped Hasselquitz, as well 

 as many others. Moreover, the toes and the heel 

 are furnished, on the under side_, with long hair, 

 all of gray tinged with yellow, excepting those 

 which cover the root of the toes, and whose colour 

 is blackish. The nails, both before and behind, 

 are of a dingy white. 



According to Hasselquitz, in the passage above 

 referred to, the tail of the jerbo is three times 

 longer than the body; I never found it, however, 

 longer than a little above one-half more. Its 

 circumference is not onuch greater than that of a 

 large goose-quil , but it is quadrangular, and not 

 round ; it is gray-coloured, deeper on the upper 

 than on the under side, and covered with a sleek 

 hair down to its extremity, which terminates in a 

 tuft of long silky hair, half black, half gray. 



On comparing this description with that which 

 Gmelin has given of the alagtaga, in the New Com- 

 mentaries of the Academy of Petersburgh (vol. v.), 

 it will appear, that the jerbo has a strong resem- 

 blance to it ; they have both the same number of 

 toes on the fore- feet, the spur on the hinder, the 

 same length of tail, &c. which is a proof of two 



* Nov. Comment. Acad. Petropol. torn. v. art. 7. 



things : 



