GERBIL or GERBILLE, the name of a group of small, elegant, large-eyed, jumping rodents typified by the North African Gerbil lus aegyptiacus and forming a special subfamily, Gerbillinae, of the rat tribe or Muridae. They are found over the desert districts of Asia and Africa. They have elongated hind-limbs and long hairy tails and progress by leaps, in the same manner as jerboas, from which they differ in having five hind-toes. Ger bils dwell in burrows furnished with numerous exits, and con taining large grass-lined chambers. The Indian Tatera indica produces at least a dozen young at a birth. All are nocturnal.