THE TRAP-DOOR SPIDER. 215 



and the new world. Some of them weave cells between the 

 leaves, in the hollows of trees or rocks, w^hile others dig deep 

 tubular holes in the earth, which they cover over with a lid, or 

 rather with a door formed of particles of earth cemented by 

 silken fibres, and closely resembling the surrounding ground. 

 This door or valve is united by a single hinge to the entrance at 

 its upper side, and is so balanced tliat, when pushed up, it shuts 

 again by its own weight ; nay, what is still more admirable, on 

 the interior side opposite to the hinge a series of little holes 

 may be perceived, into which the mygale introduces its claws 

 to keep it shut, should any enemy endeavour to open it by 

 force. The interior of the nest, which is sometimes nine inches 

 deep, is lined with a double coat of tapestry, the one nearest the 

 wall, which is of a coarser tissue, being covered with a pure 



1"W'hite silken substance like paper. 

 New-comers into the country which the trap-door spider 

 inhabits, are often as surprised as Aii Baba in the ' Forty 

 fThieves ' by seeing the ground open, a little lid lifted up, and 

 a grim black-haired spider peer about as if to reconnoitre the 

 position before sallying out of its fortress. At the least 

 movement on the part of the spectator, down drops the spider 

 disappearing into its hole, the door closes and the astonished 

 observer, unable to find its traces in the apparently unbroken 

 soil doubts whether his eyes have not deceived him. Nothing 

 short of actual violence will induce the trap-door spider to 

 vacate the premises it has so admirably constructed. It holds 

 on with all its might and will permit the earth to be excavated 

 around its burrow and the whole nest to be removed without 

 deserting its home. But all its energy vanishes as soon as it 

 is removed from the burrow it so pertinaciously defended ; it 

 then loses all its activity, remains fixed to the spot as if 

 stupified, or at the best walks languidly about like one who has 

 lost all that made existence valuable. 



At Caldera, Mr. Adams observed a dingy little species of 

 spider of the genus Clubiona, concealing itself in very snug 

 retreats formed out of a dead leaf, rolled round in the shape of 

 a cylinder, lined with a soft silken tissue, and closed at one 

 end by means of a strong woven bolt-door. When hunted, it 

 was amusing to see the frightened little creatures run for 

 protection into their tiny castles, where they would doubtless 



