THE ATTAS AT HOME 185 



has been won by a single fortunate queen, does 

 the Attaphila climb tremblingly down and ac- 

 cept what fate has sent. His ninety and nine 

 fellows have met death in almost as many ways. 



With the exception of these strange inmates 

 there are very few tenants or guests in the nests 

 of the Attas. Unlike the termites and Ecitons, 

 who harbor a host of weird boarders, the leaf- 

 cutters are able to keep their nest free from un- 

 desirables. 



Once, far down in the nest, I came upon three 

 young queens, recently emerged, slow and stupid, 

 with wings dull and glazed, who crawled with 

 awkward haste back into darkness. And again 

 twelve winged females were grouped in one small 

 chamber, restless and confused. This was the 

 only glimpse I ever had of Atta royalty at home. 



Good fortune was with me, however, on a 

 memorable fifth of May, when returning from 

 a monkey hunt in high jungle. As I came out 

 into the edge of a clearing, a low humming at- 

 tracted my attention. It was ventriloquial, and 

 my ear refused to trace it. It sounded exactly 

 like a great aerodrome far in the distance, with 

 a score or more of planes tuning up. I chanced 

 to see a large bee-like insect rising through the 



