412 Mr. F. Enock on the 



the fly in the same position, by the wings, I allowed it 

 to crawl up and touch the tube ; here the spider struck 

 from above and down, and as there was no need for 

 reversing the fly it was pulled in and down in much less 

 time. 



I next tried upon a liorizontdl tube ; the spider moved 

 along until it was evidently under the fly, when from the 

 movement it turned over on its back exactly like a shark, 

 not suddenly, but a stealthy screwing movement, until it 

 was just beyond the fly ; then striking like lightning, it 

 buried its fangs in the fly. 



Although I did not require further proof, I tried 

 another experiment upon a horizontal tube by enticing 

 the spider almost to the extreme end, then placing the 

 fly nearer the subterranean part. By the movement of 

 the tube I saw that the spider had turned back. I kept 

 the fly moving until it was suddenly seized, the fangs 

 now pointing up and towards the end, away from the 

 subterranean part. Although the fly was half between 

 the spider and its quiet resting-place, it was quite equal 

 to the apparent dilemma, for after a good deal of holding 

 on by one fang at last it turned itself round, and quickly 

 pulled the fly down. 



There can be no doubt as to which is the normal 

 position of the aiirial portion of the tube. If, when a 

 spider is put into a pot of sand, it will, after making a 

 sort of horizontal tunnel or tube, always carry the tube 

 up the side of the pot, and no doubt it does the same 

 thing on the banks, attaching the ends to grass or other 

 stems ahoce it; but this frail support is soon swept down 

 by the falling earth, the wonderful spider adapting itself 

 to its changed position. A careful examination of the 

 spider shows how marvellously it is formed for obtaining 

 its food without ever leaving its tube. 



I have repeatedly tried to induce Atypus to feed from 

 November to the end of February, but could not succeed 

 unless the weather was very warm ; and I believe that 

 the moisture of the bank in winter is quite sufficient to 

 sustain life until the spiders are able to obtain their 

 natural food {insects) in plenty. 



When digging tubes up in search of the male, I have 

 found various insects — in one a blow-fly, in another a 

 woodlouse, in a third a large fl.y, and in one a larva of 

 Afirotis segetum ; all of these were apjiiirontlyy/./vv/ tt) the 

 side, a short distance from the bottom. 



