248 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
“T will now relate what I saw on one of these occasions, 
for there has been much speculation as to the manner in 
which the spider clings to the door, and offers the determined 
resistance which is experienced. No sooner had I gently 
touched the door with the point of a penknife than it was 
drawn slowly, with a movement which reminded me of the 
tightening of a limpet on a sea-rock, so that the crown, 
which at first projected a little way above, finally lay a little 
below the surface of the soil. I then contrived to raise the 
door very gradually, despite the strenuous efforts of the 
occupant, till at length I was just able to see into the nest, 
and to distinguish the spider holding on to the door with all 
her might, with her fangs and all her claws driven into the 
silk-lining of the under surface of the door. The body of the 
spider was placed across and filled up the tube, the head 
being away from the hinge; and she obtained an additional 
purchase in this way by blocking up the entrance.” 
Mr. Moggeridge believes that whenever a spider resists in 
this way she makes the needle-holes, to which former 
allusion has been made; but, without wishing to controvert 
the opinion of so excellent an observer, I may perhaps be 
excused for remarking that the regularity of these minute 
holes rather militates against the supposition that they are 
caused by this process of holding on with fangs and claws to 
prevent the lid being opened by an enemy. 
I have here to mention a fact and a surmise in connection 
with these trap-doors that seems to partake rather of the 
character of romance than of sober reality. The door is 
covered with Lycopodium and moss, presenting exactly the 
same appearance as the surrounding surface. Mr. Moggeridge 
thus describes one particular instance :— 
“The moss on the door grew as vigorously, and had in 
every way the same appearance, as that which was rooted in 
the surrounding earth; and so perfect was the deception 
that | found it impossible to detect the position of the closed 
trap-door, even when holding itin my hand. There can be 
no doubt that many nests escape observation in this way; 
and the artifice is the more surprising because there is strong 
reason to believe that this beautiful door-garden is deliberately 
planted with moss by the spider, and not the effect of mere 
chance growth.” (P. 97.) 
