SPIDERS 



III 



nest (burrow) while in captiv- 

 ity, tho it probably will not. 

 It should be provided with 

 insects or with raw meat for 

 food. Notice its hairy body, 

 v its great fangs, its long strong 

 4 legs. The trap-door spiders 

 are of great interest because of 

 the curious nests they make. 

 The burrow or vertical tunnel 

 in the ground (fig. 70) is 

 closed at the surface by a 

 hinged lid, a veritable trap- 

 door, composed of soil and 

 silk. The inner surface of the 

 door is quite covered with 

 silk, while the outer (upper) 

 surface is skilfully covered 

 with soil or soil and bits of 



Fig. 70. Nest of trap door spider. leaves, Sticks, Or mOSS, SO as to 



correspond exactly with the character of the ground, covering im- 

 mediately surrounding the mouth of the burrow. As the door fits 

 exactly, lying, when closed, perfectly even with the surface of the 

 ground, and showing hardly a visible crack or line at its point of 

 meeting with the surface of the ground, it is extremely difficult to 

 find the trap-door spider's nests. But by being constantly on the 

 watch for them, a happy chance may discover one. The trap-door 

 nests may be specially looked for in the woods, and in uncultivated 

 ground. 



Two nests in the entomological collection of Stanford Univer- 

 sity were found in a bare and well-trod path, which was in daily 

 use. If a nest is found it should be carefully dug up, and removed 

 to the-school-room. Here the interesting details of its construct- 



