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 
