98 Trap-Door Spiders. 



The secret of the wasp's search is not food, but to lay up 

 an inheritance for her young. When she encounters a spider 

 a fight ensues, and, if she is victorious, she paralyzes but does 

 not kill it, and then deposits an o.^^ on or near the spider, and 

 goes her way rejoicing. The spider is limp and helpless, but 

 keeps alive till the wasp is hatched as a soft white grub. 

 Then the baby wasp begins to eat the meat its mother has 

 supplied in abundance to last through its babyhood. This 

 admirable provision of the wasp — not quite so happy for the 

 spider — is excellent in a dry climate where a dead spider 

 would dry up in a short time and become very tough or dusty 

 eating; but where a parylyzed spider keeps fresh and in good 

 condition till needed. Mud wasps have the same way of 

 storing up smaller spiders for their young. 



The Cteniza resents familiarity and shows her displeasure 

 by a sharp snap of the fangs or by moving off as fast as pos- 

 sible. This makes it difficult to examine live ones. They 

 do not like to be touched. I have found a way, however, of 

 keeping them quiet as long as I please. It is by pressing ' 

 gently on the cephalo-thorax over the chief nerve mass. The 

 spider stops crawling, ceases struggling and remains per- 

 fectly still. This is especially noticeable when they are 

 turned on their backs. At first they fight to get back 

 to their normal position, but a slight pressure stills 

 them, their muscles relax and they can be examined 

 at leisure. Even so slight a weight as a bit of writing paper 

 will keep them immovable for a long time. These mesmer- 

 ized spiders are rather ridiculous in this undignified position, 

 lying flat on their backs, with their many heels all up in the air, 

 and a plaster of white paper across the pit of their stomachs; 

 and it cannot be very comfortable either, but they remain mo- 

 tionless for a quarter or half hour at a time, and may be 

 kept from scrambling back on their feet as long as you will 

 by a touch at the first sign of restlessness. 



Aside from the curious homes I have not noticed any sign 

 of superior shrewdness or intelligence in these spiders. They 

 seem shy and slow and rather stupid. Their nocturnal habit 

 keeps them from showing off well in the day time, but even 

 at night they are not alert. 



I tried the effect of certain color and odor by putting rose 

 petals in their nests, but they merely carried them out as they 

 would sticks and mud. 



I tested their musical ear, as spiders are said to be music- 

 ally inclined, by singing and whistling my sweetest, but they 



