PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



The following gentlemen were then elected as officers for the 

 ensuing year: as President, Sir Sidney S. Saundeis; Treasurer, 

 Mr. R. C. Baxter ; Secretary, Mr. J. B. Crosfield ; Curator, Mr. J. 

 Linnell.jr.; Committee, Dr Bossey, Mr.E. Chambers, Mr.T. Cooper, 

 Mr. C. Green. Dr. Holman, Mr. A. Keene, Mr. C. Marshall, 

 Mr. W. H. Tyndall, and Mr. S. Webb. 



The meeting was then resolved into an ordinary Evening Meeting. 



The President exhibited a specimen of a new genus and species of 

 Trap-doer Spider from South Africa, also its nest constructed con- 

 trary to usual custom in solid oak-bark. He gave the following 

 information respecting it : This spider has been recently described 

 by the Rev. O. P. Cambridge under the name of Moggridgea Dyeri. 

 Its nests were first discovered by Dr. Dyer, at Uitenhage near Port 

 Elizabeth. They have an oval lid formed of the bark itself, and very 

 difficult to detect irom its close resemblance and adherence to the 

 surface, especially when held down by the occupant from within. 

 Some of these nests are stated to consist of a silken tube, scarcely 

 more than an inch in length, formed in the folds and interstices of 

 the rough bark, and having as it would seem, the hinged lid at the 

 lower extremity, the tube being carried upwards from its orifice, and 

 its exposed parts exactly resembling the surface of the bark. One 

 of those submitted to Mr. Cambridge was constructed in the chan- 

 nelled groove of a piece of wood which had apparently formed part 

 of some building. The spider differs from others notably in the 

 absence of the usual short strong spines at the anterior extremity on 

 the upper side of the falces, as well as in the wide separation of the 

 eyes of each of the two lateral pairs. This spider is supposed to 

 form its nest in channels already made and not requiring the aid of 

 such spines in the process of burrowing ; for, as the describer 

 observes, not being furnished with the necessary implements, but 

 gifted with the trapdoor-nest-making instinct, it fixes upon a position 

 where excavation would be needless. Such, however, did not 

 appear to be the case in the present instance, the nest being im- 

 bedded within the bark itself, and not prolonged to a greater extent 

 than the tubes above referred to, viz. scarcely more than an inch, a 

 similar nest having also been exhibited to the Entomological Society; 

 whereas if the spider had simply availed herself of the abode of 

 some wood-boring insect for her domicile, the gallery would probably 

 have penetrated to a much greater distance. The spines on the 

 falces may however be less adapted for perforating the bark than 

 for burrowing in the earth, and the fangs be more suitable for 

 operating on the ligneous tissues ; although, as in other instances 

 of briar-excavators, an economy of labour is effected by utilizing any 

 channel found available for the j^urpose. 



