“ Gerbils are inhabitants of open sandy plains, where they dwell in burrows furnished with numerous exits, and containing large grass-lined chambers. The Indian G. indicus produces at least a dozen young at a birth. All are more or less completely nocturnal. ”

“ They are found over the desert districts of both Asia and Africa, and are classed in the genera Gerbillus (or Tatera) , Pachyuromys, Meriones, Psammomys and Rhombomys, with further divisions into sub-genera. They have elongated hind-limbs and long hairy tails ”