The tucutuco--another small rodent, with burrowing habits something like
those of a mole--gains its name from the short nasal groan which it
repeats about four times in quick succession. It is very abundant, and
may be heard at all times of the day uttering its strange sounds
directly beneath the feet in its burrow. It throws up little hillocks
of earth like those of a mole at the mouth of its abode. So completely
are tracks of country undermined by these animals, that horses in
passing over sink above their fetlocks.
They are gregarious and nocturnal in their habits. Their chief food
consists of the roots of plants, to obtain which they make their
extensive and superficial burrows. From the formation of their
hind-legs, they are unable to jump even the smallest vertical height.
It is a curious circumstance connected with them, that large numbers
become blind,--though apparently the animal suffers but little
inconvenience in consequence, as it exists almost entirely beneath the
surface of the ground.