278 EDGE OF THE JUNGLE 



ble a hundred feet away. The "low bush" from 

 which it proceeded last year, was now a respect- 

 able sapling, and the source far out of reach 

 overhead. I discovered a roundish mass among 

 the leaves, and the first stroke of the ax sent the 

 rhythm up to once a second, but did not alter 

 the timbre. A few blows and the small trunk 

 gave way and I fled for my life. But there was 

 no angry buzzing and I came close. After a ces- 

 sation of ten or fifteen seconds the sound began 

 again, weaker but steady. The foliage was alive 

 with small Azteca ants, but these were tenants 

 of several small nests near by, and at the catas- 

 trophe overran everything. 



The largest structure was the smooth carton 

 nest of a wasp, a beautiful species, pale yellow- 

 ish-red with wine-colored wings. Only once did 

 an individual make an attempt to sting and even 

 when my head was within six inches, the wasps 

 rested quietly on the broken combs. By care- 

 ful watching, I observed that many of the insects 

 jerked the abdomen sharply downward, butting 

 the comb or shell of smooth paper a forceful blow, 

 and producing a very distinct noise. I could not 

 at first see the mass of wasps which were giving 

 forth the major rhythm, as they were hidden 



