GERBILLUS MERIDIANUS. SPALAX. Ill 



Genus GERBILLUS. 



Teeth. — Incisors, | ; molars, |^| ; the first molar in 

 each jaw with three tubercles, the second with two, and 

 the third with one ; ears moderately long, rounded at the 

 extremities; fore-feet short, with four toes, and a rudi- 

 mentary thumb ; hind-feet long, or very long, with five 

 toes ; tail long, covered with hair. 



Gerbillus meridianus. 



Gerbillus meridianus, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 514. 

 Dipus meridianus, Pallas, Zoog. Rosa. As. 



Descbiptioit. — Body rather large behind ; head oblong ; 

 muzzle somewhat long ; ears large, oval, downy ; whiskers 

 very long; incisor teeth yellow, the upper ones with a 

 longitudinal furrow ; hind-feet prolonged, large, suited for 

 leaping ; tail about as long as the body, strong, cylindrical, 

 covered with hair, tufted at the tip. Fur above dirty 

 rufous, mixed with grey ; beneath pure white, except a 

 longitudinal line of red-brown on the belly. 



Length of head and body, 4 inches 2 lines ; head, 1 inch 

 6£ lines ; ears, 6-| lines ; tail, without the hairs, 3 inches 

 1 line.— F. M. 



Burrows in the earth ; feeds on nuts and seeds. 



Inhabits the sandy deserts near the Caspian Sea, between 

 the Volga and Jaik, and, according to Pallas, is peculiar 

 to that region. 



Genus SPALAX. 

 | ; molars, |^ 



Teeth.— Incisors, § ; molars, §=§. Body prolonged, 



cylindrical ; eyes very minute, or (in one species) wanting 

 (according to Pallas, but said by Desmarest to exist beneath 

 the skin). 



