THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 249 
Up to this date all recorded observations—including those 
of Mr. Moggeridge, the last and most complete—point to 
spiders burrowing and constructing habitations in the earth. 
On the 7th of October last (1874) a communication was 
received by the Editor of the ‘Field’ from Mr. Bain, of 
71, Cornhill, containing a cutting from the ‘ Uitenhage 
Times,’ a South African newspaper, of which the following 
copy appeared in the ‘ Field’ of October 10th :— 
* Remarkable Spider.—Unless we are mistaken, there is a 
species of this insect in Uitenhage which is at present 
unknown to entomologists beyond. It was discovered a few 
years ago by Dr. Dyer in the bark of his oak trees. On very 
close examination of the bark a beautifully-formed oval lid 
may be discovered, of about a third of an inch longer 
diameter. On raising this lid with the point of a penknife it 
will be found to open into a conical cavity, which is occupied 
by a small jet-black spider. The insect resists the raising of 
the lid with the tenacity of an oyster refusing to be opened, 
and holds on with all its might by two feet. As soon as the 
penknife is withdrawn, the door is closed with a sudden snap. 
We have ‘consulted naturalists and books, but have not 
succeeded in gaining any description that answers to this 
insect. Should this paragraph meet the eye of anyone pos- 
sessing information on the subject we should be thankful.” 
This did meet the eye of one possessed of some information 
on trap-door spiders, he having read Mr. Moggeridge’s work 
on the subject. I therefore wrote the following note, which 
appeared as an Editorial comment on the extract :— 
“This is one of the great family of trap-door spiders, 
which have attracted the admiring notice of all naturalists. 
Of these, the species known as Cteniza nidulans is perhaps 
the most familiar. It is a native of the West Indies, and 
constructs in the earth a tube, which it lines with silk. The 
lid so exactly resembles the surrounding earth, that it is 
impossible to detect it when closed by the spider from 
within. Another very interesting species inhabits the Ionian 
Islands, and forms its tube among the roots of trees; and 
others inhabiting the south of Europe, more particularly 
Mentone, have been observed and described by Mr. Mog- 
geridge, in a work of surpassing interest. It is difficult to say 
when the very earliest account of these wonderful creatures 
Qk 
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