610 MR. W. L. SCLATER ON A NEW JERBOA. [NoV. 4, 



C. On anew Genns and Species of Rodents of the Family 

 Dipodidce from Central Asia. By W. L. Sclater, 

 M.A., F.Z.S. 



[Ecceived October 25, 1S90.] 



(Plate L.) 



While engaged in examining and cataloguing the collection of 

 Mammals in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, 1 came across two 

 specimens which seemed to belong to a species of the genus Alactaga. 

 On removing the skull from one of the specimens, I found that I was 

 quite unable to identify it with any species of Alactaga hitherto 

 described. Nor have I, in the course of fresh researches, been able 

 to find any specimens, either in the Indian or tlie British Museums, 

 which in any w-ay resemble it. In fact the skull in question differs 

 so strikingly from that of all the other forms of Dipodidce, that it 

 seems necessary to make a new genus for its reception. I therefore 

 propose the generic name Euchoreutes (eJ bene et ■^opevTt)s saltatory 

 for this Rodent, with the specific term naso, on account of its prom- 

 inent and pig-like snout. 



Euchoreutes naso, sp. nor. (Plate L.) 



The fur is soft and long, of a blackish-grey colour, mixed with 

 red on the back ; posteriorly the red predominates and becomes 

 much more conspicuous at the root of the tail ; the sides and belly 

 are pure white, quite sharply defined from the grey colour of the 

 back ; the snout, cheeks, and chin are also white. The snout is 

 very projecting and pig-like, and there is a large bare area round the 

 nostrils, which is surrounded by a ring of very short stiff upright 

 hairs. In Alactaga indica the suout is much shorter and more 

 rounded, and there is no bare area round the nostrils. 



The ears are very long, and extend considerably beyond the end 

 of the snout when pressed forward ; they are clothed within with 

 fine scanty silver hairs ; externally, where they are divided into an 

 anterior and posterior portion by a fold, the anterior part is covered 

 with a few silvery hairs, while the posterior is hairless. 



There are four pairs of mammee — one pair of pectoral, one jjair of 

 inguinal, and two pairs intermediate. 



In the anterior limb the digits and claws are very long and slender ; 

 all the five digits are distinctly claw ed, whereas in Alactaga indica 

 the first digit bears a nail. There are four carpal pads, two smaller 

 distal pads at the base of the fourth and fifth digits, and two larger 

 subequal proximal pads. 



In the bind limb, wiiich is rather long, the first and fifth toes are 

 subequal, the first being slightly longer ; the ends of the claws do 

 not quite reach the metatarsal joints of the three median digits. 

 The second, third, and fourth toes are subupial, the median one 

 beiug only very slightly longer than the other two ; the difference 



