TEXAS NATURE OBSERVATIONS AND REMINISCENCES. 57 



(being a type of ground spiders,) 

 a photo of which is here 

 with submitted, prepare their 

 breeding nests entirely differently 

 than the above species. With their 

 powerful mandibles they dig long 

 underground cylindriform holes, 

 which they outline with a dense 

 silk-like white web lining, and one 

 particular species provides its nest 

 with a tight fitting door, which 

 the spider closes or opens at will, 

 especially during danger time of 

 its enemies — in particular, the 



which ensnare birds and lizards 

 in their golden webs : 



"Far up in the mountains of 

 Ceylon there is a spider that spins 

 a web like bright yellowish silk, 

 the central net of which is five 

 feet in diameter, while the sup- 

 porting lines or guys, as they are 

 called, measures sometimes ten or 

 twelve feet. The spider seldom 

 bites or stings, but should anyone 

 try to catch him, bite he will, and, 

 though not venomous, his jaws 

 are as powerful as a bird's beak. 



Cocoon op a Large and Beautiful Prairie Spider with Myriads op the Young Brood, 

 Suspended Between Dried Branches and Leaves op the Mesquite Tree 



large brown lycosa tarantula. 

 One of the illustrations shows the 

 microscopic apnearance of the 

 hinge part of the door, showing 

 numerous silk ""thread-like spin- 

 ning threads interwoven with 

 earth remnants — ^the yellow clay 

 or adobe earth and remnants of 

 sand and other matter. 



Regarding spiders of other for- 

 eign countries, the following is an 

 interesting report of spiders in 

 Ceylon. They must be monstws, 



■'The bodies of these spiders 

 are very handsomely decorated, 

 being bright gold or scarlet un- 

 derneath, while the upper part is 

 covered with the most delicate 

 slate-colored fur. 



"So strong are the webs that 

 birds the size of larks are fre- 

 quently caught therein, and even 

 the small but powerful scaly liz- 

 ard falls a victim. A writer says 

 that he often sat and watched the 

 yellow monster — measuring when 



