$74 TRAP-DOOR SPIDER 
The talons of the spiders are scientifically called by the appropriate name 
of falces, the word being Latin, and signifying “a reaping-hook.” By this 
name they will be called in the course of the following piges. ‘The falces of 
the great Crab Spiders are of enor nous size, and when removed from the 
creature and set in gol !, they are used as tooth-picks, being thought to possess 
some occult virtue which drives away the toothache. 
In the ac-ompanying illustration is an example of the curious TRAP- 
DOOR SPID-R of Jamaica, erroneously called the Tarantula. 
This spider digs a burrow in the earth and lines it wich a silken web, but 
instead of merely protecting the entrance by a portion of the slken tube, it 
proves itself a more complete architect by making a trap-door with a hinge 
that permits it to be opened and closed with admirable accuracy. The door 
is beautifully circular, and is made of alternate layers of earth and web, and 
hinged to the lining of the tube by a bint of the same siiken secretion. It 
exactly fits the entrance of the burrow, and, when closed, so precisely cor- 
responds with the surrounding earth that it can hardly be distingu:shed, even 
when its position is pointed vut. It is a strange sight to see the earth open, 
a little lid raised, some hairy l2gs protrude, aud gradually the whole form of 
the spider show itse.f. 
THE curious and interesting WATER SPIDER is now far better known than 
was formeriy the case, as the numerous aquaria that have | cen established 
over the kingdom have tended to familiarize us with this-as well as with many 
other inhabitants of the water. 
This creature leads a strange life. Though a really terrestrial being, and 
: needing to respire atmo- 
spheric air, it passes nearly 
the whole of its life in the 
water, and, for the greater 
part of its time is subm rged 
below the surface. To a 
lesser degree, s veril other 
spiders lead a somewhat 
similar life, sustaining exist- 
ence by means of the air 
; f which is entangled in the 
He. iff 7 : === hairs which c'othe the body. 
l= UZ : : Their subinerged existence 
is, however, only accidental, 
while in the Water Spider it 
forms the constant habit of 
its life. 
The body of the Water 
Spider is profusely covered 
with hairs. which ser-e to 
entangle a large comnarntive 
amount of atmaspheric air, 
== but it has other means which 
Za es are not possessed bv the 
BE gp GY pie oo d poe 
Sh) ocs t has the nower of diving 
TRAP-DOOR SPIDER—(Cteniz1 nidulans.) below the surface. and carrv. 
; : — mo ing with it a verv large bubble 
of air that is held in its place by the hind-legs : and in snite of this obstacle 
to its progress, it can pass through the water with tojerable speed 
The strangest part in the economy of this creature is, that it is actually 
