550 COL. TEBBtTRT -O^D MB. O. THOMAS ON [June 18, 



thoroughly sound, revision of the group, in which he evolved 

 something like order out of chaos. 



This pretty species seemed to be common, both at Lahej and 

 Shaik Othman. 



22. Gekbillus (DiPODiLLTTS) iiXA, sp. n. 



a. Skin. Shaik Othman. 24. II. 95. 



b, c. Skins ; d. In spirit. Lahej. 26-29. III. 95. 



Size, proportions of trunk and tail, and general colour and 

 appearance very much as in Nvs hactriamis; that is to say, the pallid 

 desert form of 3Ius mnsnihis. Colour above greyish fawn, the 

 slaty basis to the hairs showing through. Face-markings as in 

 (?. pcecilops, although much less promment ; supraorbital and 

 postauricular white, and dark nasal spots present. Ears small, 

 laid forwards in a spirit-specimen they just reach to the posterior 

 canthus of the eye. Under surface and fore and hind hmbs pure 

 white throughout ; hind feet very thick and lumpy ; palms and soles 

 as in Q. poecilops — i. e., naked with five anterior and six posterior 

 pads, the proximal plantar ones very small. Tail short, scarcely 

 longer than the head and body, brown above, white below, its 

 terminal inch very inconspicuously tufted. 



Skull, compared ^ith that of G. nanus or G. simoni, broader and 

 heavier, with a much broader muzzle. Bullae larger than in 

 G. simoni, smaller than in G. nanus. Laminae of molars directly 

 transverse. 



Dimensions of the type, a slightly immature female, measured 

 in the flesh by collector : — 



Head and bodv 65 millim. ; tail 75 ; ear 8'5. 

 Skull: hasal length 19-2x24; zygomatic breadth 13-7 X 8*4; 

 nasals 2-4 x 4-7 ; interparietal 3-1 x 6-6 : diastema 6*5 x 3-5 ; 

 greatest diameter of bulla 8"9. 



An adult male in spirit measures : head and body 70 ; tail 74 ; 

 hind foot 21 ; ear 9 x 6-5. 



Type. Skin a. B. M. No. 95.6.1.67. 



This little Gerbille most nearly resembles G. nanus, Blanf ., and its 

 allies, but differs from any of them by its heavy lumpy feet and short, 

 and little crested tail. G. hottce, Lat., of the distinction of which 

 from G. nanus we are at present unable to satisfy ourselves, was 

 founded on a specimen with a mutilated tail; but SundevalFs 

 " Gerbillus f/erhillus, Oliv.," likewise from Sennaar, had a tail 

 115 milhm. long, and probably I'epresents Lataste's species, 

 although the latter author assigns it to his G. quadrimaculatus. 

 The last-named and G. dasyurus, Wagn., are both long-tailed forms. 

 One short-tailed Gerbille, G. simoni, Lat., has been described from 

 Algeria; but, as is shown by a co-type in the British Museum, 

 it differs from G. lixa by its much brighter coloration, its even 

 shorter tail, and its smaller bullae. 



Specimens 6, c, and d were caught in the cook-house of the 

 bungalow at Lahej, and were brought to Terbury as "mice,'' the 

 habits as well as colour of which thev therefore seem to imitate. 



S) 



