of a Species of Mr/gale. 161 



above the surface of the ground ; but tliis may have arisen from 

 the washing away of the surrounding earth during the lieavy 

 autumnal rains, the more especially as from the coating of moss 

 which showed itself in many cases upon the upper surface of the 

 operculum, they could not have been of very recent construction. 



The form and structure of this operculum were also peculiar, 

 for, unlike those of the Mygale fodiens, which are represented as 

 closely assimilated to the surface of the soil, and for the opening 

 of which the only facility (according to M. Audouin's observa- 

 tions) consists in the numerous inequalities of the exterior cover- 

 ing of the lid, bj' means of which the insect is enabled to secure a 

 sufficient hold ; the opercula of those which I met with at Zante 

 were all more or less provided with an elevation of the posterior 

 margin directly above the hinge (as shown at fig. 9) to the extent 

 in some instances of one third of the diameter of the lid. The 

 object of this projection could not be mistaken, for, acting as a 

 lever, the slightest pressure upon it would suffice to raise the 

 operculum, and afford the readiest ingress. This elevation ap- 

 pears to be produced by a gradual lengthening in the direction of 

 tlie hinge of the respective layers of which the lid is composed. 



The readiness with which the opening of the lid is effected by 

 this ingenious contrivance of the lever, might lead one to suppose 

 that an extra degree of care woidd be displayed in regard to the 

 means of firmly closing the same from within, in the event of out- 

 ward attack. The M. ccementar'ia and the M.fodlens are reported 

 to cling to the door of their habitations for this purpose ; and in 

 the nests of the last-mentioned species, a number of minute holes 

 have been observed around the inner side of the opercuhmi, 

 which M. Audouin ascribes to the purpose of enabling the occu- 

 pant to secure a firm hold with its claws on such occasions. No 

 such provision, however, is made in the case of the Zante Mygale. 

 I have also in my possession the nest of another mining spider 

 (of the species of which I am ignorant, from not having secured 

 the occupant), where the series of holes alluded to is disposed all 

 round, and not merely in front of the operculum on its interior 

 surface, as minutely described by M. Audouin. This nest was 

 from Corfu, and the construction appears in many respects to 

 resemble that of M. fodlens. The length of the tube is about 

 four inches, and its lower end is slightly oblique. The Mygale 

 lonica, however, is also met with not unfrequently at Corfu, as I 

 am informed by my friend the Rev. Charles Kuper, a diligent 

 Entomologist, who has been for some years resident in that 

 island. 



