380 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1887. 



Mr. Bates describes spiders of this family (Mygale Blondil and M. 

 avicularia) as inhabiting broad tubular galleries smoothly lined 

 with silken webs. The galleries are two inches in diameter and 

 run in a slanting direction about two feet.^ Again he speaks 

 of them as spreading a thick web beneath a deep crevice in trees, 

 and having their cells under stones.^ Once more in alluding to 

 their diversified habits he says that some species construct among 

 the tiles or thatch of houses dens of closely woven web which in 

 texture very much resembles fine muslin. From these domiciles 

 they invade the house apartments. Others, according to Mr. Bates 

 build similar nests in trees.^ I believe that it will be found that 

 the creatures that burrow in the earth are identical with those 

 which spread sheeted webs among the trees. Numbers of tarantulas 

 come to our port (Philadelphia) in fruit vessels, and are often found 

 in the great pendants of bananas, to which they had no doubt 

 resorted as a convenient field for capturing prey, and were them- 

 selves captured and shipped hidden away among the clusters of 

 fruit. 



In the case of the spider "Leidy" the only effort made at nest 

 building was a rude burrow which was excavated against one side 

 of the box and which in the course of time was extended downward 

 to the bottom of the box and laterally along the bottom either way, 

 thus forming an irregular cavity. Into this it frequently descended, 

 dividing its time between the cave and the outside surface. This 

 burrow was entirely destitute of a silken lining, although occasion- 

 ally the opening at the surface would be overspun with a thin sheet 

 of spinning work. I have seen the same habit in other individuals 

 of the species kept in confinement. The only attempt at a nest ever 

 observed by me has been this burrow, with an occasional sheeted 

 closure, and rarely a slight silken lining of the interior of the burrow. 

 I believe, therefore, that the popular theory that the tarantula makes 

 a trap-door is without foundation in fact, and that its ordinary hab- 

 itat is a plain burrow like that made by most Lycosids. 



The mode of making the burrow was well observed by me at va- 

 rious times. In the act of digging, the spider first uses the two leg- 

 like palps, the digital brushes of which are well adapted for that 



1 Bates "The Naturalist on tlie Amazon" Vol. ii, p. 58. 



2 id. Vol. i, p. 161. 



3 id. Vol. i, p. lOG. 



