72 SPIDERS [CH. 



Curiously enough, if disturbed, they entirely 

 decline to burrow unless it be the proper season for 

 that operation, but remain inert and helpless on the 

 surface till they die. If, however, a tunnel is pro- 

 vided for them, they enter it at once and adapt it to 

 their needs. 



The legs take no part in the burrowing process, 

 which is entirely carried out by the jaws. With 

 infinite labour small particles of earth are dislodged 

 and carried by the mandibles to be dropped at 

 a considerable distance from the nest. 



The parapet round the mouth of the tube is in 

 nature usually quite a small erection, but this seems 

 to be due to the fact that only a small amount of 

 suitable material is available in the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood, and the spiders will not go far afield. In 

 captivity, when abundance of material was supplied, 

 they attained a height of two inches. Small stones, 

 sticks, and strands of wool cut into lengths of one 

 inch and of various colours were placed within reach, 

 and all were used in building the parapet. Com- 

 paratively huge pebbles were rolled up for a founda- 

 tion, and fragments of earth and pieces of wool 

 entirely irrespective of colour were bound together 

 by irregular spinning work. 



On sunny days the spiders would crouch behind 

 the parapet with their eyes above its level. To 

 distant insects they paid no attention, but if one 



