Th e South Australian Naturalist. 23 



beauty, this is fully compensated for by this unusual secretion 

 and storage of nectar. To the insect, there is nothing pleasing 

 to the eye, but in the corolla tube there is a veritable fountain 

 of delicious drink and food. The inducement for insect visita- 

 tion — which means fertilisation, and for which the plant lives — 

 is in the storage of the nectar in the tube. I should think that 

 ants, or other small crawling insects, were the chief means of 

 bringing about pollenisation in this plant. 



THE TRAPDOOR SPIDER. 



By C.G.S. 



''Oh ! Spencer, come quickly. Jim has dug up such a horrid 

 thing." 



''Spencer" never refuses to go at such a call, and went into 

 the garden to see what Jim had dug up. 



It was, indeed, an ugly-looking object that was picked up 

 on a piece of bark and placed in a glass bowl, where it could be 

 examined without fear. At first sight it looked as if it had ten 

 legs, which were packed closely to its body, but a closer inspec- 

 tion revealed only eight true legs. The pedipalps were so long 

 and strong and ending, as the two front legs do, with a fine 

 needle-point, that they looked like legs. 



At the slightest touch the spider sat up, with legs and 

 pedipalps spread out fanwise, then sprang violently forward, 

 clutching at space, and fell "head over heels." This was taken 

 as a sign of blindness, because there was nothing to spring at. 

 It grabbed at a piece of steel, and held on so tightly that it could 

 not be shaken off. When at last it did let go it left behind two 

 little spots of liquid. 



The body measured one and a half inches long and one inch 

 across. The hinder part of the body was dark grey, covered 

 with velvety hair, and had a brown band round it. On the 

 back were too small bare spots, ^ about the size of a pin's head. 

 Underneath were two curious pockets. t The part of the body 

 to which the legs were attached, was raised in the middle to 

 protect the roots of very formidable fangs, large and hairy at 

 the base, but tapering into a fine point. They are jointed, 

 which enables the spider to pierce its prey with them while it is 

 being held by the pedipalps to a red and hairy mouth under- 

 neath. The hinder and longer legs were furnished with a hook. 



