CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I 



THE MASTER CRAFTSMEN PAC 



A persecuted race " Underground weavers" Our native repre- 

 sentative A doubtful tug--of-war An awkward doorway The 

 trap-door spider's biographer The choice of a home The secret 

 door A vagrant husband Dangerous courtship How spiders 

 dig A careful workman A pitiless enemy The tapestry frame 

 A spider's door-handle The importance of a well-fitting door 

 Eggs within eggs Strenuous resistance The family at home 

 A living bolt Trapping by night An unexpected encounter 

 The capture An unfortunate shot The inner door An in- 

 genious dwelling An invasion The secret chamber Infant 

 phenomena Tree-dwellers A versatile family . . .17 



CHAPTER II 



EXCAVATORS AND MINERS 

 MAMMALS 



A national industry Notable diggers A neglected genius The 

 varnished tale Too clever by half An underground fortress 

 How it is made A strange nest The bolt run Accident or in- 

 tention? Building on the ruins The fox's home Unscrupulous 

 strategy Arctic foxes Frozen meat The badger's den A re- 

 tiring disposition The hamster's dwelling Living-room and 

 store-room A tell-tale landmark Entrance and exit Well-filled 

 granaries Harvesting Emergency doors Early independence 

 Pocket-gophers A rare distinction Convenient locomotion 

 Filling the pockets ard emptying them An interesting scene- 

 Pariah dogs Slinking through life The fascinating fennec 

 Prairie -marmots "Dog-town" An animal Utopia Winter 

 sleep Sounding the alarm Animal gossip Marmots Summer 

 and winter quarters Laying in supplies A picturesque fiction 

 Our old familiar friend . . . ... 32 



CHAPTER III 



EXCAVATORS AND MINERS 

 OTHER ANIMALS 



Bird excavators Sand martins Delicate labourers Prodigious 

 industry The kingfisher A nest of bones Tortuous burrows 

 An unmistakable dwelling A dying- race Larks and their 



