36 . JOURNAL OF THE 



tirely during the day. By reference to the young trap-door 

 spiders it will be seen that -l\ 4-.syjmo.s'?t,s' works just about as 

 well in day as at night. 



Neni of Nidivalvata marxiL The first one of this species 

 which I found was taken Jan. 2, 1886, and which I have 

 formerly mentioned as making in captivity a " folding door." 

 In tearing up some moss I observed a tube in the bottom of 

 which was the spider. Whatever there was at the upper end 

 of the tube was destroyed in removing the moss, so that I 

 have not had an opportunity to observe the door to the nest 

 where the spider makes its nest in a patch of moss. I have 

 found several nests of this species by gathering moss. In 

 all there were what appeared to be branches just above the 

 surface of the p:round at the base of the moss. These I re- 

 gard as avenues in which the spider would search, or lie in 

 wait, for ants. 



In captivity this spider made a very interesting nest with 

 folding doors (See figs. 17 and 18 Plate IV) and I believe it 

 is with some such arrangement that it closes its tube in a 

 state of nature, for the spider makes use of it in catching its 

 prey, as will be described in the food habits of this species. 

 This kind of a duor, I believe, has never before been seen or 

 described, and adds one to the different types of nests which 

 Mr. Mop;i^^rid?>^e has described and named."" The v\<A\t name 

 for this. type should be "double door," but as Mr. Mog- 

 gridge has used that name for a nest which has two doors, 

 one at the upper end of the tube and another some distance 

 below at the opening of a branch in the main tube, it cannot 

 be applied to this one. So I have called this new type the 

 folding (loornesf, from the manner in which the door opens 

 and shuts. 



This species begins the excavation of its tube by parting 

 the earth from a central point with its anterior legs and palpi 

 turning around at the same time so as to push the earth on 

 all sides. It works with exceeding rapidity, and in this re- 

 spect is in strong contrast with the members of the genus 

 PacJiylomr.rus, though the young ones of that genus work 

 more rapidly than the older ones. When beginning the 

 nest in a patch of moss the spider will dive down in the 

 moss and begin turning rapidly in all directions, at t!ie 

 same time spinning threads to fasten together the pieces of 



*-HiuTesting Ants and Trap-Door Spiders ; and Supplement. 



