TEAP-DOOB SPIDER. 257 



at the entrance, and the other an inch or two 

 below it. 



The reason for this duplicate door was easily dis- 

 covered. The nest had been made in cultivated ground. 

 Earth had been thrown over the mouth of the burrow 

 and buried it. The inmate had, therefore, burrowed 

 upwards until it had made its way into the open air, 

 and had then constructed a second door. 



The most curious example of a trap-door nest that I 

 ever saw was sent to me from India by an officer. 



It was made in a mass of clay in the fluting of a 

 pillar, and was discovered quite accidentally. The 

 officer caught sight of a curiously formed stone, and 

 lifting it up was surprised to find it pulled smartly back. 

 On lifting it up again he saw that the supposed stone 

 was a circular door with a silken hinge, and that it 

 formed a cover to a hole in the clay. Seeing a large 

 spider dart into the hole he began to dig out the nest, 

 when the spider again made its appearance, shut the 

 door, and retained its hold so tenaciously that it came 

 away with its nest and was captured. 



There are many species of Trap-door spiders, the best 

 known of which is a native of Jamaica, and is scientifi- 

 cally termed Cteniza nidulans. 



