geebilltis indicus. 185 



The Indian Jerboa-hat. 



Descn — Aboye light fulTOus-brown, or bright fawn coloi', somewhat paler 

 on the sides, beneath white ; eyebrow whitish ; whiskers long, black ; tail 

 blackish towards the tip, which is clad with a tuft of long blackish hairs ; 

 ears large, almost nude. The hairs of the back are light pumbeous at 

 the base with fulvous tips, with some thin black hairs intermixed, most 

 conspicuous on the sides and cheeks. 



Length, head and body 7 inches ; tail 8 J ; ear |ths. Another mea- 

 sured, bead and body 7 inches; taU S-^V i ear -j^ths ; fore-foot -j^ths ; 

 hind-foot 2 ; weight 6| oz. 



The jerboa-rat is very abundant in most parts of India, frequenting the 

 bare uncultivated plains, and sandy downs, where it forms extensive 

 burrows ; occasionally near the roots of shrubs or bushes, but very gener- 

 ally in the bare plain. "The entrances," says Mr. W. Elliot, "which 

 are numerous, are small, from which the passage descends with a rapid 

 slope for 2 or 3 feet, then runs along horizontally, and sends off branches 

 in different directions. These galleries generally terminate in chambers 

 from half a foot to a foot in width, containing a bed of dried grass. Some- 

 times one .chamber communicates with another, furnished in like manner, 

 whilst others appear to be deserted, and the entrances closed with clay. 

 The centre chamber in one burrow was very large, which the Wuddurs 

 attributed to its being the common apartment, and said that the females 

 occupied the smaller ones with their young. They do not hoard their, food, 

 but issue from their burrows every evening, and run and hop about, sitting 

 on their hind legs to look round, making astonishing leaps ; and on the 

 slightest alarm flying into their holes." 



This rat eats grain, various seeds, but chiefly roots and grass. It is the 

 common prey of foxes, owls and snakes. The female brings forth numerous 

 young ones, usually 8 to 12, occasionally it is said as many as 16 to 20. 

 It is certainly the most elegant and graceful of its family, and well 

 deserves the name of the antelope-rat, equally from its color, activity, and 

 fine, .full, gazelle-Uke eyes. 



It is found over all India and Ceylon, but is not in general found at 

 high elevations. Blyth states that it also occurs in Afghanistan. 



171. Gerbillus erythrourus. 



Gray, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 1842 ? New species ? 



2 B 



