MALDONADO.
but rather arising from the sudden expulsion of air: the only
noise I know at all like it, is the first hoarse bark of a large
dog. Having watched the four from almost within arm’s
length (and they me) for several minutes, they rushed into
the water at M l gallop, with the greatest impetuosity, and
emitted, at the same time, their bark. After diving a short distance
they came again to the surface, but only just showed
the upper part of their heads. When the female is swimming
in the water and has young ones, they are said to sit on
her back. These animals are easily killed in numbers ; but
their skins are of trifling value, and the meat is very indifferent.
I have never heard of the carpincho being found
south of the Plata; but as I see in a map that there is a
Laguna del Carpincho high up the Rio Salado, I suppose
such must have occurred. On the islands in the Rio Parana
they are exceedingly abundant, and afford the ordinary prey
to the Jaguar. ^ ^ .
The Tucutuco [Ctenomys Eraziliensis) is a curious small
animal, wliich may be briefly described as a Rodent, with the
habits of a mole. It is extremely abundant in some parts ot
the country,* but is difficult to be procured, and still more
difficult to be seen, when at liberty. It lives almost entirely
under ground, and prefers a sandy soil with a gentle
inclination. The burrows are said not to be deep, but^ of
great length. They are seldom open; the earth being
thrown up at the mouth into hillocks, not quite so large as
those made by the mole. Considerable tracts of country are
so completely undermined by these animals, that horses, in
passing over, sink above their fetlocks. The tucutucos
appear, to a certain degree, to he gregarious. The man who
procured the specimens for me had caught six together, and
he said this was a common occurrence. They are nocturnal
* T h e wid e p la in s n o r th o f th e R io C o lo rad o a re u n d e rm in e d b y th e s e
a n im a ls ; a n d n e a r th e S t r a i t o f M a g e llan , w h e r e P a ta g o n ia b len d s w ith
T i e r r a d e l F u e g o , th e w h o le s a n d y c o u n try forms a g r e a t w a rre n to r th e
tu c u tu c o .
in their habits; and their principal food is afforded by the
roots of plants, which is the object of their extensive and
superficial burrows. Azara says they are so difficult to be
obtained, that he never saw more than one. He states that
tliey lay up magazines of food within their burrows. This
animal is universally known by a very peculiar noise, which
it makes when beneath the ground. A person, the first time
he hears it, is much surprised; for it is not easy to tell
whence it comes, nor is it possible to guess what kind of
creature utters it. The noise consists in a short, but not
rough, nasal grunt, which is repeated about four times in
quick succession; the first grunt is not so loud, but a little
longer, and more distinct than the three following: the
musical time of the whole is constant, as often as it is
uttered.* The name Tucutuco is given in imitation of
the sound. In all times of the day, where this animal is
abundant, the noise may be heard, and sometimes directly
beneath one’s feet. When kept in a room, the tucutucos
move both slowly and clumsily, which appears owing to the
outward action of their hind leg s; and they are Hkewise
quite incapable of jumping even the smallest vertical height.
Mr. Reid, who dissected a specimen which I brought home
in spirits, informs me that the socket of the thigh-bone is
not attached by a ligamentum teres; and this explains, in
a satisfactory manner, the awkward movements of their
hinder extremities. When eating, they rest on their hind
legs and hold the piece in their fore paw’s ; they appeared
also to wish to drag it into some corner. They are very
stupid in making any attempt to escape; when angry or
* A t th e R . N e g ro , in N o r th e r n P a ta g o n ia , th e r e is a n a n im a l o f th e
s am e h a b its , a n d p ro b a b ly a c lo se ly a llie d sp e cie s, b u t w h ic h I n e v e r saw
I ts n o ise is d iffe re n t from th e M a ld o n a d o k in d ; i t is r e p e a te d o n ly twice"
in s te a d o f th r e e o r fo u r tim e s, a n d is m o re d is tin c t a n d so n o ro u s : w h e n
h e a rd from a d ista n c e , i t so c lo se ly re sem b le s th e s o u n d m a d e in c u ttin g
d ow n a sm a ll tre e w ith a n ax e , t h a t I h a v e som e tim e s r em a in e d in d o u b t
c o n c e rn in g it.