28 
THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 
claw of the mandibles works up and down instead of side- 
wise. 
The members of this family do not construct true webs, 
but they dig long tubes in the earth, which they line with 
silk, or line their hiding-places in clefts in trees or elsewhere 
with a layer of silk. They live only in warm countries. 
One of the best known of the Tarantulas is Eurypelnia 
hentzii (Eu-ryp'el-ma hentz'i-i). This species occurs in the 
South and in the Middle West, and is the largest of our 
spiders (Fig. 26). Several closely allied species are found in 
California. 
Fig. 26.—A Tarantula, Eurypelnia hentzii . 
But the members of this family that have attracted most 
admiration on account of their habits are the Trap-door 
Spiders. These dig a tube in the ground, as do many other 
members of this family; but this tube is lined with a denser 
Fig. 27.—Entrance to nest of a trap-door spider. 
layer of silk, and is provided with a hinged lid, which fits 
the opening of the tube with wonderful accuracy (Fig. 27). 
