Annals or the Transvaal Museum. 
m 
enemies, are not uncommonly met with. Centipedes must rank amongst 
their enemies, for quite a number were found in the spiders’ nests, and in 
two cases the centipede had got into the nest of a Galeosoma and apparently 
starved the spider, though it had not succeeded in dragging its victim out 
of the secure position into which it had wedged itself before its death. 
A large number of cocoons of fossorial wasps were found in the nests of 
various species, but we did not succeed in hatching any of them ; a very 
fine specimen of Pompilus was taken from an empty nest: of Stasimopus 
robertsi. On several occasions small ants were seen to be busy in trying 
to dig out small Pelmatorycters (cp. brevipalpis) which had young ones. 
I diops gunningi, var. elongatus specimens were instantly attacked by 
swarms of large ants, when the nests were opened. Two specimens of 
a spider belonging to a totally different family, Palpimanus sp. ?, were taken 
from nests of Galeosoma vandami at Gravelotte, one from a nest of G. pilosum 
at Pretoria College and one from a nest of a young Stasimopus robertsi 
near Rosslyn ; in one of the first two of these nests were the remains of the 
Galeosoma, and those from Rosslyn contained young of Palpimanus with 
the parents. Apparently this spider preys upon the trapdoor spiders, but 
definite evidence as to this is wanting. In many species the lower surface 
of the trapdoor presents distinct tooth or claw marks, and one might 
therefore expect these spiders to cling tightly to the lid at some time or 
other, yet not more than about 5 per cent, were found doing so in the case 
of Stasimopus, Acanthodon, Idiops, Pelmatorycter , and Spiroctenus. During 
daytime at any rate they normally reside in the lower parts of their retreats. 
On the other hand, Moggridgea makes an almost invariable practice of 
holding down the lid. Galeosoma, having the protection of a shield, never 
holds down the lid, but blocks up the passage with the shield. 
Family ATYPIDAE. 
Calommata transvaalicus Hewitt. 
Localities : Roodeplaat, Hatfield, and between Villieria and Derdepoort. 
The three nests above referred to were all found shortly after heavy 
rains had somewhat spoilt them, the entrance being obliterated and closed. 
The first one was discovered accidentally by a tuft of grass having been 
kicked up, but in all subsequent cases the nest was situated on bare ground. 
In two more found at Mayville in the middle of June, the entrance was 
open without a sign of a lid. The top of the nest was raised slightly above 
the ground, and, from the inner rim, neatly rounded off, sloping gradually 
outwards and downwards to the level of the ground, all this outer surface 
covered with earth resembling the surroundings. The interior of the tube 
was lined with loose, highly adhesive, silky webbing, which could only 
be seen when the nest was viewed from above ; and in the case of the two 
complete nests described above, upon closer examination this webbing was 
found all but to close up the tube at a distance of about half an inch from 
the mouth, by pinching inwards. The adhesiveness of the webbing 
probably affords a protection against the intrusion of enemies. The nests 
are comparatively very deep (about 9 or 10 inches), and vertical for the 
greater part of their depth. 
