xi] TIIERAPHOSID SPIDERS 91 



of Mr Brown. He believed that the spider chiefly 

 depended for its food on earthworms which, in the 

 course of their bin-rowings, came casually into its 

 neighbourhood. Since these observations, however, 

 considerable light has been thrown on the habits of 

 the spider by Enock, who found colonies on Hamp- 

 stead Heath and near Woking. His investigations 

 extended over several years, and wonderful patience 

 was needed before the secrets of this curious animal 

 were divulged. 



It appears that the female, when once established, 

 never leaves the nest at all ! The aerial portion of the 

 web was always a puzzle, but now we know, thanks 

 to Enock, that it constitutes the whole hunting ground 

 of the spider. Like promises and pie-crust it is 

 apparently made to be broken. If it is accidentally 

 brushed against by a passing insect the spider is 

 instantly aware of the fact, rushes to the spot, and 

 transfixes the intruder with its powerful mandibles. 

 It turns on its back to do this, and strikes the insect 

 from behind, afterwards pulling its prey through the 

 weft and into the tube by main force. It drags it to 

 the bottom of the tunnel, makes sure of its death, and 

 immediately returns and repairs the rent. 



Insects were held against the tube, and the spider, 

 if hungry, accepted them at once ; if replete however, 

 it always gave a tug at the tube, which retracted 

 a portion of it into the burrow a curious action 



