1895.] THE MAMMALS OF ADEN, 551 



It was said to be not unusual for this auijnal to occur in the 

 houses of the natives. 



Specimen a was dug out of the sand. 



23. GeRBILLUS (" HENDECAPLEtTBA ") FAMTTLUS, Sp. D. 



a. 2 . Lahej. 10. III. 95. 



Size about as in G. campeMris. General colour, so far as can be 

 seen in an imperfect spirit-specimen, similar to other small fawn- 

 coloured Gerbilles, the usual whitish marks ou cheeks, in front of 

 and behind eyes, and at bases of ears apparently present ; middle 

 line of face, however, greyer, especially on the nose. Ears large, 

 the anterior half of their outer surface thinly clothed with blackish 

 hairs. Whole of under surface and backs of hands and feet pure 

 white. Palms with two carpal pads as usual. Soles wholly 

 naked, granulated distally, with four small pads only. Tail of type 

 imperfect, but on the three inches of it present the hairs above are 

 white with blacks tips, below wholly white. 



SkiiU long and narrow, in size and general form not unlike, 

 though larger than, that of G. rferhillu.s, widely separated as the 

 two species really are. Muzzle remarkably long and slender, the 

 nasals overhanging the incisors anteriorly to a quite unusual extent. 

 Supraorbital edges well-rimmed, the rims thickened. Inter- 

 parietal broad transversely, short antero-posteriorly. Bidlfe rather 

 large, approaching those of G. ;/erbillus, far larger than those of 

 G. campestns ; front wall of meatus slightly swollen. Inner cusp 

 of middle lamina of w.' slightly anterior to outer cusp. 



Dimensions of the type, an adult female skin, preserved in 

 spirit ' : — Head and body (c.) 90 millim. ; tail imperfect, 70 x . . . ; 

 hind foot 27"7 ; ear 16 x 10. 



Skull : basal length 25'8 ; extreme length in middle line 31-4 ; 

 greatest breadth 16 ; nasals 12*7 x 3-2 ; interorbital bi-eadth 5'8, 

 interparietal 3'4 X 8 ; palate length from henselion 13 ; diastema 7"9; 

 palatal foramina 5 ; length of upper molar series 4*1 ; greatest 

 oblique diameter of bulla? 11*2. 



Type. B.M. No. 94.6.1.28. 



This pretty little Gerbille is a typical member of the group to 

 which Lataste appUed the name of Hendecapleura, a group from 

 which GerhilJus (sens, stnctiss.) differs in its hairy feet and single 

 carpal pad, and Dipodillus in its six plantar pads and smaller bullge, 

 although, as already noted, the latter seems to be connected with it 

 by intermediate species. 



The nearest ally of G. famulus is perhaps the Algerian G. (H.) 

 garamantis, Lat., from which it differs by its decidedly greater size, 

 G. dasyurus, hottce, quadrimacidatus, and nanus are also all much 

 smaller, while G. persicus, Blanf., which has the same foot- 

 structure, is enormously larger. 



The single specimen of this Gerbille was trapped at the mouth of 

 the burrow of Meriones rex. 



^ The specimen was intended for a skin, but the hairs commencing to fall it 

 was put into spirit, never having been allowed to dry. The ear and feet 

 measurements are therefore exact, while that of the body is merely approximate, 



