Year: 1871

silkcn lining Of the lid. and the fore legs
to the side of the tube, and rcsists with all
It's might. Nothing short of actual vio-
lencc will induce the trap door spider to
vacate the premises, which it so courage
ously defends. 1t will permit the earth to
be excavatcd around its Durrow, and the
whole nest to be removed, without desert
ing its home; and in this manner speci-
mems have been removed and placed in po-
sitions where they could be watched.


Some few months ago several examples
of the trap-door spider aud its nest were
to be seen in the reptile room of the Zoo
l'gical Gardens. Boldly as the spider
guards its home, and energetic as it is
while engaged in defense, it is no sooner
removed from the burrow than it loses all
its activity, remains fixed to the spot, as ii
stupeticd, or, at the best, walks languidly
about, without appearing to have any
definite object in view Trap door spiders
inhabit many parts of the world. In the
British Museum is a curious specimens of
a nest, which is furnished with two doors,
one at each end. The door at one end is
rather loosely and irregularly made, as is,
indeed, the whole end of the nest, which


is furnished with two doors, one at each
end Of the nest but of the other extrem
ity the door is beautifully rounded, very
smooth, and fitting with astonishing neat
ness into the aperture. This curious
specimen was discovered in Albania, and
was presented by w. Wilson Saunders
The gem Of the collection, however, for
accuracy and finish, is one that is the work
of an Australian spider, and was found at
Adelaide. Only the upper part of the
tube is preserved, so as to show the valve
which closes it.; but no one who really
takes an interest in natural history can
pass this nest without pausing in admira-
ton. The workmanship is wonderful, and
the hole. with its color, looks as if it had
been made in clay, by means OF the pot
tcr's wha el, 50 regular and true are its out
lines. The hole itself is circular, but the
door is semi circular, the hinge extending
across the middle Of the aperture.


Two points in this door are especially
worthy of notice; the one being that its
edge, as well as that of the aperture, is
beveled of inward, SO that the accurate
closure of the entrance is rendered mat
ter OF absolute certainty. The second
point is that the outer surface of the door,
together with the surrounding earth, is in
geniOusly covered with little pro Ojections,
SO that, when the door is closed, the line
which, on smooth ground, would have
marked its presence, is totally hidden.
The shape of this door, too, is remarka-
BILE. Toward its hinge it is comparatively
thin, but upon the edge it is very thick,
solid and heavy, so that its own weight is
sufficient to keep it firmly closed. The
hinge" to which allusion has frequently
been made, is not separate piece of
workmanship, but is continuation of the
silken tube which lines the tunnel. An
exact imitation of it's principle may be
made by taking the cover of book, and
cutting it across from the inside until all
it's substance except the cloth or leather
is severed and then bending the two por-
tioDs back. The cloth or leather will then
form hinge precisely similar to that Of
the trap door spider, the pastcboard taking
the place of the carthern door, keo. j.
G. Wood, on tile Habitations Of Aasiasals.