THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 249 



Up to this date all recorded observations — including those 

 of Mr. Moggeridge, the last and most complete — point to 

 spiders burrowing and constructing habitations in the earth. 

 On the 7th of October last (1874) a communication was 

 received by the Editor of the 'Field' from Mr, Bain, of 

 71, Cornhill, containing a cutting from the ' Uitenhage 

 Times,' a South African newspaper, of which the following 

 copy appeared in the 'Field' of October 10th : — 



*^ Remarkable Spider. — Unless we are mistaken, there is a 

 species of this insect in Uitenhage which is at present 

 unknown to entomologists beyond. It was discovered a few 

 years ago by Dr. Dyer in the bark of his oak trees. On very 

 close examination of the bark a beautifully-formed oval lid 

 may be discovered, of about a third of an inch longer 

 diameter. On raising this lid with the point of a penknife it 

 will be found to open into a conical cavity, which is occupied 

 by a small jet-black spider. The insect resists the raising of 

 the lid with the tenacity of an oyster refusing to be opened, 

 and holds on with all its might by two feet. As soon as the 

 penknife is withdrawn, the door is closed with a sudden snap. 

 We have consulted naturalists and books, but have not 

 succeeded in gaining any description that answers to this 

 insect. Should this paragraph meet the eye of anyone pos- 

 sessing information on the subject we should be thankful." 



This did meet the eye of one possessed of some information 

 on trap-door spiders, he having read Mr. Moggeridge's work 

 on the subject. I therefore wrote the following note, which 

 appeared as an Editorial comment on the extract: — 



"This is one of the great family of trap-door spiders, 

 which have attracted the admiring notice of all naturalists. 

 Of these, the species known as Cteniza nidulans is perhaps 

 the most familiar. It is a native of the West Indies, and 

 constructs in the earth a tube, which it lines with silk. The 

 lid so exactly resembles the surrounding earth, that it is 

 impossible to detect it when closed by the spider from 

 within. Another very interesting species inhabits the Ionian 

 Islands, and forms its tube among the roots of trees; and 

 others inhabiting the south of Europe, more particularly 

 Mentone, have been observed and described by Mr. Mog- 

 geridge, in a work of surpassing interest. It is difficult to say 

 when the very earliest account of these wonderful creatures 



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