242 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
dead, with which the attention of naturalists has been too 
exclusively occupied. Mr. Gosse writes as follows :— 
“Tn digging their mountain-gardens the negroes often 
expose the curious subterranean nests of the trap-door 
spider (Cteniza nidulans), many of which are brought to me. 
This spider makes its tubular dwelling in soft earth, frequently 
choosing cultivated ground, on account doubtless of this 
quality. Each nest is cylindrical, or nearly so, from four to 
ten inches deep, and about one inch in diameter; the bottom 
is rounded; and the top, which is at the surface of the soil, 
is closed very accurately with a circular lid. They are not 
all equally finished, some being much more compact, and 
having the lid more closely fitted than others. Some have 
irregular bulgings and ragged laminated off-sets on the outer 
surface; but all are smooth and silky on the inside. This 
smoothness, however, does not preclude any little irregulari- 
ties or unevenness of surface; nor is it glossy: its appearance 
rather resembles that of paper, which has been wetted and 
dried again ; it is always of a reddish buff hue, but the outside 
is stained of the colour of the surrounding earth. The mouth 
of the tube and the parts near it are very strong; the walls here 
often having a thickness of from an eighth to a quarter of an 
inch, but the lower parts are much thinner. The lid is con- 
tinuous with the tube for about a third of its circumference, 
and this part may be called the hinge, though it presents no 
structure peculiar to itself; it is simply bent at a right angle, 
as is manifest if a nest be cut longitudinally through with 
scissors, the incision passing through the midst of the lid. 
“The mode of construction I judge, from examination of 
many nests, to be this. The spider digs a cylindrical hole 
in the moist earth with her jointed fangs or mandibles, 
carrying out the fragments as they are dislodged. When the 
excavation has proceeded a little way she begins to spin the 
lining, which forms the dwelling. I conclude thus because 
nests are occasionally found a few inches in length with the 
lid and upper part perfect, but without any bottom, these 
being evidently in course of formation. I suppose that she 
weaves her silk at first in unconnected patches against the 
earthy sides, perhaps where the mould is likely to fall in; and 
thus I account for the loose, rough lamine of silk that are 
always found projecting from the outer surface. ‘These are 
