412 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



species making traps of the wafer type, as so fully described by Moggridge. 

 Here we have simply a dropping away of the turret of Dolichoscaptus 

 and the use of the burrow independently of the same, but with the trapdoor 

 retained. In the species studied by Moggridge a single burrow is the or- 

 dinary rule, but there are many variations, some of which are manifestly 

 characteristic of species, and others which are probably occasional and ac- 

 cidental. 



A variation described by Mr. Simon is shown at Fig. 349, the nest of 

 Stothis astuta, which inhabits the forest of Cartuche, near Caracas, South 



America. The drawing shows a section of the burrow, indicating 

 6. Bur- j]j(, curved course, .and also the two wafer like trapdoors habit- 

 -jy. „ ually placed at either end. That this peculiar industry is defensive 



Door. ^^ probable, for we can readily imagine the spider disappearing 



within its den at oiie door, and, if its pursuer should succeed in 

 entering the same, escaping at the other. We might, without much stress 

 of imagination, carry the conception a little further, and suppose again the 

 enemy making its exit from one door and the spider again descending 



Fig. 347. Silk lined case of Stothis astuta, with two doors. 

 Fig. 348. Front view of a door. 



into its l)urrow by the other. This game of bo-peep might evidently Ijc 

 played to the great advantage of the Trapdoor spider and manifest dis- 

 concerting of its enemy. 



Simon gives an interesting example of the ability of a spider of this 

 species to change its habit and adapt its industry to unexpected sur- 

 roundings. The species commonly seeks dark and damp localities, and 

 digs in vegetable earth a burrow not very deep. The nest, which is 

 drawn in side view at Fig. 347, and a front view of the door shown at 

 Fig. 348, was begun underneath a stone in soil which was so rocky as to 

 be impenetrable. Not wishing to change its site, and not to be cheated 

 out of its proposed domicile, Stothis proceeded to erect a cylindrical case 

 about two inches long, composed of a conglomerate gathered from surround- 

 ing particles of soil and vegetable chippage. Tliese were cunningly wrought 

 together, the whole structure silk lined, and the characteristic trapdoors 

 bung, one at either end. Thus, while varying her habit in so far as to 

 build a surface tunnel instead of a subterranean one, Stothis preserved her 

 defensive habit of erecting for herself a back door by which she could 

 retreat in case of invasion at the front door. 



Fig. 350 represents the burrow of Stothis cenobita Simon, which is 



