45 



its gait and habits, the Squillce, and the resemblance is still more striking, from the 

 excessive development of the hand, and the mode in which it is carried, pressed close 

 up against the cephalic ring ; and also in the form of the swimming feet. Neverthe- 

 less the chelae, the simply clawed feet, the styled tail, subpedunculate eye, and the 

 mode of origin of the antennae, reduce it to its proper place among the Gammaridce, 

 but in a section distinct from any as yet described." — p. 206. 



Mr. Westwood has added in a parenthesis, that he considers Zeuxo 

 nearly allied to the genera Tanais and Rhsea of M. Edwards. 



XLII. — Azotes respecting the J^est of Cteniza nidulans. By W. Sells, 

 Esq. 



The author observes of this extraordinary spider, that it 



" Selects for the scene of its labours some spot under the rocks or trees in a 

 sheltered situation, and where the soil is not exposed to the effects of the extremes of 

 heat and moisture." — p. 208. 



" Those parts of this ingeniously contrived fabric which more strikingly call for 

 our particular admiration, are the lid, and a valmdar apparatus that is found inside, 

 and immediately below the hinge. 



" The lid bears some analogy to the upper shell of the oyster, inasmuch that the 

 upper surface of it is rough, laminated, thick and strong near the hinge, and becomes 

 gradually thinner towards the surrounding edges. The elastic force with which the 

 lid, upon being opened, closes of itself, is principally accomplished by a fold or du- 

 plicature of the webbing at each end or angle of the hinge, so that upon raising the 

 lid, which cannot be done without violence much beyond a right angle with the aper- 

 ture, this fold is also opened, and the threads of the webbing are put upon the stretch 

 in proportion to the extent to which the lid is elevated, and which, doubtless, in its 

 proper use, by its lawful owner, never exceeds the insect's requirements." — p. 209. 



" Vahmlar apparatus. — About two months since I obtained a supply of four fresh 

 nests, and, being tolerably well stocked before, I could afford to open them longitu- 

 dinally, in order to examine their internal structure. One of them had no appear- 

 ance whatever of any valves, but the other exhibited a beautiful instance of two re- 

 gularly fonned ones; one placed immediately beneath the hinge, and the other about 

 three quarters of an inch lower down." — p. 209. 



" Mr. Sells thinks that " in newly constructed nests the reacting elastic power of 

 the hinge may be all-sufficient, and continue so for a considerable time ; but from 

 long continued use, the effect of weather, or other incidental causes, it may lose its 

 spring, when the superadded construction of the valves may effectually restore its ef- 

 ficiency ; as it is evident, upon close inspection, that the opening of the lid acts first 

 upon the upper one, the decussating fibres of the crura of the upper valve act upon 

 the lower one, which again sends out numerous elastic threads downwards." — p. 210. 



XLIII. — On some Doubts respecting the (Economy of Ants. By the Rev. 

 F. W. Hope. 



The object of this paper is rather to draw the attention of ento- 

 mologists to the subject of ants laying up during summer a store of 



