^40 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXI. 



Vernacular name — Khilodi. {H. H. the Rao.) 

 [" Plentiful in Bhuj and Charwa, not very common in other parts, rare in 

 the East."— C. A. C] 



Mekiones hurrianje, Jerd. 



The Indian desert Gerbil. 



1867. Gerbillus hurriance, Jerdon. Mamm. Ind., p. 186. 

 1891. Gerbillus hurriance, Blanford, Mammalia No. 265. 



c? 243 ; $ 247, 254, 265. Rhoda Motha, Outch. 



<S 265, 275. Nokonia, Cutch. 



5 310, 318, 319 ; ? 308, 531, 556. Bhuj, Cutch. 



6 353. Charwa, Cutch. 

 2 398. Pirwadi, Cutch. 



6 520, 521 ; $ 519, 522. Chitrod, Cutch. 



The names indicus and erythrowus, quoted by Blanford in the synonymy 

 of this species, represent distinct species so that I have omitted them 

 entirely. The present series seems to be quite typical. 



Vernacular name — Khetkau-undar. {H. H. the Rao.) 



[ " The common Gerbil of Cutch, found wherever the soil is light or 

 sandy ; it is by no means entirely nocturnal, individuals may be seen bur- 

 I'owing or feeding at anji^ time of the day, but especially in the morning. 

 It often sits upright with the forefeet suspended but, with an upward jerk 

 of its tail, it plunges into its burrow at the least alarm. It can move 

 about fairly rapidly ; usually keeping the body close to the ground, it 

 moves by a series of little leaps if seriously alarmed or pursued. It seems 

 to trust a good deal to its close coloured resemblance to its surroundings 

 to escape detection, and, when feeding, may be approached near enough to 

 bring its slightest movements under observation. When feeding it sits 

 upright and conveys, with great rapidity, pieces of grass to its incessantly 

 working jaws. 



My attempts to photograph it however were not a success. 



Its burrows are in groups of 2 or 3 or more together, each burrow has 

 several entrances, all leading to a central chamber, in which, after the 

 rains, considerable stores of seeds are probably stored. A pair of adults 

 inhabit each burrow and appear to resent the intrusion of strangers." — 

 0. A. C] 



MiLLABDiA meltada. Gray. 



The soft-furred Field-Rat. 



(For synonymy, see Report No. 1 

 J 242. Rhoda Notha, Cutch. 

 $ 271, 272. Nokania, Cutch. 



{Vide also Report No. 1.) 



