222 INSECT ARTIZANS AND THEIR WORK 



the bellows were used. This shows how extensively 

 the underground galleries are ramified." 



Moller has described similar fungus-growing 

 habits in Atta discigera and A. bystrix in South 

 America. They make covered ways, nearly thirty 

 yards long and about half an inch broad, leading 

 from their nest to the plants known as Cupheas, 

 both in the forest and in the open country. They 

 climb up the stems of the Cuphea ; and an ant starts 

 at the edge of a leaf and in five minutes cuts out a 

 piece. When this has been cut almost completely 

 the ant moves off it to the main portion of the 

 leaf, cuts through the remaining part and drags 

 up the now severed disc, grips it with its jaws and 

 lifts it above its head. It then climbs down the 

 stem of the plant, into the covered way, and travels 

 along it at a very uniform pace, and deposits its 

 load in the nest. He found that the average 

 load was twice the weight of the ant, but in some 

 cases it was as much as ten times. 



The nest was about six feet in diameter, below 

 the surface of the soil, and covered with a heap 

 of withered leaves and twigs. It was filled with 

 a spongy grey mass excavated into galleries and 

 chambers, so that it resembled a coarse sponge. 

 Through the galleries ants ran,* and in the chambers 

 were seen larvae and pupae. This sponge-like mass 

 consists of small round particles of the prepared 

 Cuphea-leaves, and constitutes the fungus-garden. 

 When fresh these pellets are dark green, then be- 

 come blue- black, and finally turn yellowish red. 



