116 BLUEFIELDS. 



be cut longitudinally tlirough with scissors, the inci- 

 sion passing through the midst of the lid. 



The mode of construction I judge, from exami- 

 nation 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 pro- 

 ceeded 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 uncon- 

 nected patches, against the earthy sides, perhaps 

 wdiere the mould is liable to fall in ; and thus I account 

 for the loose rough laminae of silk that are always 

 found projecting from the outer surface. These are 

 overlaid with other patches more and more extensive, 

 until the whole interior walls are covered ; after which 

 the silk is spun evenly and continuously all round the 

 interior, in successive layers of very dense texture, 

 though thin. Under the microscope, with a power 

 of 220 diameters, these layers are resolved into 

 threads laid across each other and intertwined in a 

 very irregular manner ; some are simple, varying from 

 y^^y^th to 2 (Jo 0^^^ °^ ^" "^^^^ "^ diameter, and others 

 are compound, several threads, in one part separate, 

 being united into one of greater thickness which 

 cannot then be resolved. No pellets of earth are ever 

 interwoven with silk to form the outer layers of the 

 walls, though the adhesive nature of the silk, when 

 freshly sjiun, causes fragments of earth to remain 



