3C0 INSECT ARCHITECTURE. ' 



tangled in her net. The centre of the net is said 

 also to he composed of more viscid materials than its 

 suspensory lines, — a circumstance alleged to be proved 

 by the former appearing under the microscope 

 studded with globules of gum.* We have not been 

 able to verify this distinction, having seen the suspen- 

 sory lines as often studded in this manner as those in 

 the centre, f 



Mason-Spiders. 



A no less wonderful structure is composed by a 

 sort of spiders, natives of the tropics and the south 

 of Europe, which have been justly called mason- 

 spiders by M. Latreille. One of these {Mi/gale 

 nidulans, Walckn.), found in the West Indies, "digs 

 a hole in the earth obliquely downwards, above three 

 inches in length, and one in diameter. This cavity 

 she lines with a tough thick web, which, when taken 

 out, resembles a leathern purse; but what is most 

 curious, this house has a door with hinges, like the 

 operculum of some sea-shells, and herself and family, 

 who tenant this nest, open and shut the door when- 

 ever they pass and repass. This history was told 

 me," says Darwin, "and the nest, with its door, 

 shown me by the late Dr. Butt, of Bath, who was 

 some years physician in Jamaica." } 



The nest of a mason-spider, similar to this, has 

 been obligingly put into our hands by Mr. Riddle, 

 of Blackheath. It came from the West Indies, 

 and is probably that of Latreille's clay-kneadcr 

 {My gale cratiens), and one of the smallest of the 

 genus. We have since seen a pair of these spiders, 

 in possession of Mr. William Mello, of Blackhealli. 

 The nest is composed of very hard argillaceous clay, 

 deeply tinged with brown oxide of iron. It is ia 



* Kirby unci Spenco, Intr. i. 419. f J- R - 



j Darwin's Zounomia, i. 253, 8vo. ed. 



