138 ■ HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



imen now before me is about an inch and a quarter, exclusive of 

 the legs. 



It is nocturnal in its habits, and during the night it leaves its 

 burrow and hunts for prey. Insects of various kinds fall victims 

 to this spider, and at the bottom of its tunnel may be found the 

 relics of its feast, often including the remains, of tolerably large 

 beetles. If, when it is within its home, the lid be lifted gently, 

 the spider hastens to the entrance, hooks its hind legs to the silk- 

 en lining of the lid, and the fore legs to the side of the tube, and 

 resists with all its might. Some writers have averred that it em- 

 ploys the curved fangs for this purpose, and that the comb-like 

 array of barbs is useful in giving it a stronger hold ; but a very 

 slight examination of the spider will show that such an action 

 would be impossible, and that even if the fangs were hitched into 

 the silk, the barbs would have no effect whatever on the firmness 

 of the hold. 



Nothing short of actual violence will induce the Trap-door 

 Spider to vacate the premises which it so courageously defends. 

 It will permit the earth to be excavated around its burrow, and 

 the whole nest to be removed, without deserting its home ; and 

 in this manner specimens have been removed and placed in po- 

 sitions where their proceedings could be watched. Some few 

 months ago, several examples of the Trap-door Spider and its nest 

 were to be seen in the reptile-room of the Zoological Gardens. 

 Boldly as the spider guards its home, and energetic as it is while 

 engaged in defense, it is no sooner removed from the burrow than 

 it loses all its activity, remains fixed to the spot as if stupefied, or, 

 at the best, walks languidly about without appearing to have any 

 definite object in view. 



Trap-door Spiders inhabit many parts of the world. In the 

 British Museum is a curious specimen of a nest, which is furnish- 

 ed with two doors, one at each end. The door of one end is rath- 

 er loosely and irregularly made, as is, indeed, the whole end of 

 the nest; but, at the other extremity, the door .is beautifully 

 rounded, very smooth, and fitting with astonishing neatness into 

 the aperture. This curious specimen was discovered in Albania, 

 and presented by W. Wilson Saunders, Esq. 



The gem of the collection, however, for accuracy and finish, is 

 one that is the work of an Australian spider, and was found at 

 Adelaide. Only the upper part of the tube is preserved, so as to 

 show the valve which closes it ; but no one who really takes an 



