260 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



was published; but those cited by Mr. Moggeridge are 

 among the earliest and best. The most complete and 

 elaborate are by Patrick Browne, in 1756 ; by the Abbe 

 Sauvages, 1763; by Rossi, in 1778 and 1794; by Mr. Gosse, 

 1847; and finally by Mr. Moggeridge, in 1873. The 

 description quoted by our correspondent is very exact: but 

 these spiders generally construct their habitations in the 

 earth, and not in the bark of trees. This may, therefore, 

 prove a species of trap-door spider new to science." — 

 Edward Newman. 



It appears that it attracted the attention also of another 

 reader, who designates himself "Anglo- African," who wrote 

 the following paragraph, which appeared in the 'Field' of 

 October 17th: — 



" It may interest your readers to learn that the trap-door 

 spider, described in the 'Field' of October 10th, is also 

 found in the neighbourhood of the Vaal River, South Africa, 

 in the regions of the Diamond Fields. I have myself 

 discovered two trap-doors. The first time, when lying in my 

 tent one hot Sunday afternoon, with the curtains of the tent 

 up, I observed the trap open just outside the tent, and the 

 spider come out, leaving the trap open. On being slightly 

 alarmed, by pushing a stick in his direction, he retired at 

 once, and closed the trap. So very like the surface was this, 

 that, looking away to call a ' chum' to watch him, I could not 

 again see the place. However, our attention was rewarded 

 in a short time by the spider again appearing, — I suppose on 

 a foraging expedition. It was suggested to try if he was 

 afraid of rain, and, on sprinkling the ground on which he had 

 taken his afternoon's walk, he beat a retreat again. This was 

 repeated several times on his finding nothing was the matter. 

 The door, or trap, was of an oval form, about three-quarters 

 of an inch by half an inch in size, and appeared to have a 

 capital hinge, and was countersunk, so as to be level with the 

 gi'ound, and fitted in a marvellous way. We took bearings of 

 the spot, and intended to have another interview with our 

 little friend; but a 'new rush' set in, and he was completely 

 forgotten. I should mention that this was in gravelly soil. 

 On the other occasion I and my chum were ' prospecting,' 

 but not for trap-door spiders. However, we came on the tube 

 of one in digging away the surface sand, and, carefully working 



