NESOKIA IKDICA. 187 



localities it frequents it is far more abundant than I have even seen O. 

 indicus in the most favorable spots. 



There are many other species of Gerbill on record, both from Asia and 

 Africa. 



Near the Gerbills should be placed the genus Merionea, F. Cuvier, 

 from North America. It differ from the former in having still longer 

 hind-feet, the tail being nearly naked, and in having a very small tooth 

 in front of the upper molars, as in the true Jerboas. 



Gen. Nesokia, Gray. 



Char. — Incisors very large, flat in front, and smooth : the anterior 

 upper molars large, vrith three transverse ridges; the middle ones oblong ; 

 and the posterior the smallest, narrowed behind and with two ridges ; the 

 three middle toes subequal, long ; claws small, compressed ; ears moderate, 

 nude ; tail short, naked. 



" This genus," says its founder, " is easily known from Mus by the large 

 size of the cutting teeth, and the comparative shortening of the tail ; it ap- 

 pears to be intermediate to the Eats and Bhizomys." On this Mr. Blyth 

 remarks that he can perceive no particular approximation, but I fancy Mr. 

 Gray only meant the general resemblance of a large bluff head, large teeth, 

 and a short naked tail. This bluff aspect led him formerly to class the 

 best known species as an Arvicola. 



172. Nesokia indica. 



Mus apud Gboffroy. — Blyth, Cat. p. 112. — Arvicola indica, Gray, 

 figd. Hardwiokb, hi. Ind. Zool. — M. TcoJe, Gray. — M. providens, 

 Elliot, Cat. 31. — M. pyctoris, Hodgsojst. — Koh, Can. — Golatta koku, 

 Tel. of Yanadees. 



The Indian Molb-eat. 



Descr. — Fur long and somewhat harsh, brown mixed with fawn, the 

 short fur softer and dusky; paler beneath and tinged gray; the color 

 generally being like that of the common rat, but with more fawn or red 

 intermixed, and lighter beneath; head short and trimcated ; ears small, near- 

 ly round, covered with a fine down or small hairs ; tail naked, nearly as 

 long as the body without the head ; whiskers long and full ; incisors 

 orange yellow. 



