15 
notes that tlie field naturalist is able to provide with a 
specimen may be of tlie greatest assistance to the taxonom- 
ist. The best taxonomists are those who know their groups 
not only in the laboratory but in the field and therefore 
are also field naturalists. 
This spider was named by Rainbow, who gave a brief 
description of its nest in Prov. Linn. ^oc. iV.fSMr. (1897), 
p. 549. The scientific name is very appropriate; it means 
“the ant-eating spider who lives in a bag-like house.'' 
McKeown, in “Australian Spiders" p. 132, remarks 
“that it is very unfortunate that our information regard- 
ing this remarkable little spider is confined to its hunting 
activities only — all other details of its life are unknown 
to ns. The nature of its egg-sac and the ways of the 
spiderlings. together with what must nndoubteclly be 
fascinating particulars of its general habits await the 
future investigator. It is remarkable tluit the lobster-pot 
ant-traps seem to be constructed only by the full-grown, or 
nearly full-grown spiders. How the immature forms secure 
their food is as yet unknown. The male, too, has still to be 
discovered." 
These spiders are not rare at Mt. French, near Kalbar 
and Boonah. 1 have been observing them since Dec. 26th, 
1953, and have obtained specimens of their egg-sacs, and 
THE BASKET NEST SPIDER 
Saccodom us formivorus 
E. J. SMITH 
Basket-Nest Spider and Egg^Sac 
