112 TRAP-DOOR SPIDERS. 



and unbranclied double-door nests may, however, be 

 found in tolerable abundance, the traps being frequently 

 concealed by fallen leaves from the cork oaks, which 

 are woven into their upper surface. 



The nest of N. Eleanora often has the upper part 

 of the tube prolonged above the surface of the ground 

 and carried up through mosses, grasses, and the like. 



An example of this is seen in figs. B and B 1, Plate 

 XII., in which the upper part of the tube is represented 

 with the surface door open in the one case and shut in 

 the other. 



The concealment here was so complete that I should 

 never have discovered the nest but for the merest 

 accident. I happened to want some moss to la}"" with 

 flowers in my botanical tin, and in one handful which 

 I plucked up this trap-door lay concealed. It should 

 be observed that the upper part of the tube and its 

 surface door were covered with growing moss, and 

 this moss must have lived exclusively upon the mois- 

 ture which the very damp and shad}^ situation afforded, 

 as there was no earth mixed with the silk. 



When digging out the nests of N. Eleanora, I 

 have frequently seen the lower doors pushed forwards 

 so as to close the tube ; and it is my belief tliat the 

 spider, after having thus barred the passage, puts her 

 back against the door and resists in this way. I must 

 own, however, that, though I believe I have seen the 

 spider in this attitude when I have severed the tube 

 from below, I am not quite certain about it. 



I have twice in the months of April and May, and 

 frequently in October and November, found young of 

 this species in the nests with their mother. Usually 

 they were all very small and not larger than that 



