NEST MAKING : ITS ORIGIN AND USE. 



323 



Citi- 

 grades. 



Fig. 305. Vestibule of Lycosa tigrina (McCook). 



belongs to the Territelariae, and appears to be nearly related to Atypus 

 and Nemesia. Mr. Moggridge classifies its nest among those of the Trap- 

 door spiders, characterizing it as the funnel shaped nest.^ 



Among the Citigrades we find a resemblance in general habit to the 

 Tunnelweavers. The burrowing habit is quite identical, and the tube 

 making habit, although not so high- 

 ly specialized, nevertheless exists. It 

 is chiefly displayed, how- 

 ever, in spinning a tubu- 

 lar lining to the little tower 

 prolonged above the burrow, as in 

 the case of the interesting nest of 

 the turret spider, 2 Fig. 289, or the 

 silk lined, dome shaped vestibule of 

 the Tiger spider,^ composed of moss 

 or various scraps of miscellaneous 

 material, which is wrought into an 

 entrance to the sloping burrow that 

 extends beneath the surface of the ground. (Fig. 305.) The silk lined 

 tower of the turret spider may be said to resemble very closel}'' the tubu- 

 lar nest of such Orbweavers as Epeira domiciliorum and E. thaddcus, 

 when they build within the leaves of a pine tree or weave their tent in 

 like situations. The silk lined vestibule of the Tiger spider is not unlike 

 the leafy nest constructed by the Shamrock spider and others of the group 

 to which she belongs. '(Compare Fig. 259, Chapter XVII. , with Fig. 305.) 

 Coming finally to the Laterigrades we find here the nest making habit 

 less developed than in any other tribe of the order. These araneads stalk 



their prey afield ; use no sort of spinningwork for their 

 capture ; and, as far as I know, make no fixed domicile 

 of spinningwork for their permanent abode. I 

 have, however, found Laterigrades, as Thilo- 

 dromus and Misumena, dwelling with their co- 

 coons beneath tubular structures of delicate texture, which 

 served both as a cover to the spider and her cocoon. In 

 form and spinningwork these diifered in no essential i)ar- 

 ticular from the tubes of Drassids and Ei)eira and the 

 cocooning tents of Orbweavers. This, I believe, is a 

 common habit, particularly with the mother Laterigrade 

 at the cocooning period. So far, then, as slie may be 

 said to possess in any degree the instinct of nest building, she displays 

 a tendency to adopt the typical form, and screens herself within a tube. 



Lateri- 

 grades. 



Fiii. 306. Outline nest 

 of Lycosa tig^rina. s, 

 surface of ground ; 

 the course of burrow 

 is indicated beneath ; 

 a, b, c, d, the vestibule 

 or upper part of nest. 



* Moggridge: Harvesting Ants and Trajxloor Spiders, page 183, pi. 13. 



* Tarentula arenicola Scudder. ■* Tarantula tigrina Miluuk. 



