g2 Trap-Door Spiders, 



translucent windows in the dome above entice him away 

 from the dark door in the floor by which he entered. No 

 avenue of escape is found, and from the shape of the cavity 

 and the needle-like hairs pointing ever downward, the de- 

 struction of the captive is sure. Thus he was attracted to 

 the plant, then enticed within, then imprisoned, and ulti- 

 mately consigned to the sweet lake in the bottom of the pit. 



The tube of the leaf is often filled with the dead insects 

 for several inches in depth. Flies are the most numerous 

 victims, but bees, butterflies, grasshoppers, beetles and even 

 snails are entrapped. 



In Europe, where the culture of this interesting plant has 

 been carefully watched by skilful gardeners and horticultur- 

 ists, it has been very successfully grown in shallow pots, be- 

 coming strong and vigorous, but space forbids further details 

 of the interesting habits of this plant or of the best methods 

 of its culture. 



Read before the Historical Society of Southern California. 



TRAP-DOOR SPIDERS. 



[CONCLUDED.] 



The Ctenizas will attack and bury their fangs in each other 

 with a strength and ferocity painful to witness ; but when 

 separated they seem to have sustained no injury, and go 

 about their several callings as though such encounters were of 

 ordinary occurrence. That it is not suddenly fatal is shown 

 by the fact that crickets and other prey often move and kick 

 even when partially devoured by spiders. Probably when a 

 spider dies very soon after being bitten by another, the death 

 is not caused by poison, but because the fang has pierced the 

 central nerve mass. I long ago learned that the quickest and 

 easiest way to kill certain small spiders of the East, was to 

 thrust a needle into the middle of the cephalo-thorax. They 

 would be paralyzed immediately and die very soon. It af- 

 fects Trap-door spiders the same way but not so suddenly. 



The testimony of many writers shows that spider bites are 

 not generally more dangerous than mosquito bites, and some- 

 times occasion no more inconvenience than the wounds of a 

 needle; and that most insects if they could escape the grasp 

 and sucking jaws of the spider after being struck, would stand 

 a fair chance of recovery. 



