1899] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 29 



was fully grown, measuring nearly three-quartere of an inch 

 in length. Several castles are sometimes found naturally 

 grouped near together, within a radius of twenty feet or there- 

 abouts, but the tube last mentioned was isolated in a lonely 

 field. The castle presented no special interest and will be 

 passed over without further comment. It will be seen that 

 the castle builder, unlike the known turret spiders, rarely 

 builds the nest in a strictly pentagonal form, as has been fre- 

 quently observed ; for instance, in Lycosa arenicola. In the 

 gradation between the young and older spidere' nests there is 

 the widest divei"sity . Young specimens not infrequently build 

 a perfect little tower, almost entirely of stones, and one I have 

 in mind had nine such particles made into a compact edifice 

 five millimetei-s high. The masonry was exquisitely put up, 

 every stone bearing out true proportions, about the central 

 opening of four millimeters diameter. Silk used as cement 

 held the whole together securely. 



I once saw a reflection of sombre forebodings when exposing 

 an immature spider's tube ; the light fell into the palatial cellar 

 only to find it changed into a chamber of horroi"S, for instead 

 of the spider a black insect like a nervous villain commenced 

 jerking her wings of mourning like one in secret hiding bent 

 on some treacherous mission. An orange spot on the upper 

 part of her body, together with other markings, told the spe- 

 cies, Pompilus marginatus. 



Pompilus is figured in the plate illustration a, and from her 

 position the inference may easily be imagined. When teased 

 with a straw so her patience is sorely tried, the castle builder 

 will stand her ground in self-defense and present as formid- 

 able a picture as can be supposed. She instantly responds to 

 such threats with open jaws, at the same time raising up the 

 two front paii-s of legs high in the air. In this attitude she 

 favors the conspicuous display of black under the outer three 

 joints of the extremities, which in repose is not shown. 



I succeeded in keeping specimens alive several years and 

 discovered quite a number of interesting ti*aits during this ac- 

 quaintance well worth the care bestowed on them. Eeserving 

 the technical description for a separate article, I may add 

 finally that the name Lycosa domifex is given to the species, 

 wherebv it mav be known hereafter in scientific nomenclature. 



