Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 62.djvu/161

Rh dry before the surrounding earth and show as lighter colored discs. One needs a little practice, however, even then. The spider is generally at the bottom of the hole, but sometimes, when she hears anything stirring at the lid, she rushes up, digs her claws into it (the lid of Stasimopus has a double circle of holes on the inside, into which the claws are inserted), presses her body against one side of the tube and her legs against the other, and holds the door shut with a strength that is simply amazing. Then you may dig her out easily, by removing only a couple of inches of the tube. If you take the piece of earth which contains the spider holding the door shut, and prod her from the back, she will rush partly out of the door and look around, but she generally keeps a claw of a back leg fixed in the lid, by means of which she can, up to the last moment, withdraw herself again like a flash, so that you may occasionally hear the door slam, if you have good ears and listen carefully! I once hurriedly tried to drag one away while she had her claw fast in the lid, and she parted with her leg rather than lose her last chance of retreat. When she does let go, the door closes of its own accord by means of its spring hinge.

Their chief enemy here is a burrowing animal, a 'mierkat' (Suricata tetradactyla), I think, which destroys a great number of them, discovering them by scent, no doubt.

Some South African trap-door spiders have become climbers. The family Migidæ have, in some instances, become tree trap-door spiders, where they are safe from some of their hereditary enemies and are equally well off for food. They build oval sack-like nests, one to two inches long, under stones or on trees, and cover them externally with "moss, lichens, etc., and place a trap-door at one end—a very interesting adaptation. I have found one new species of the genus Moggridgea here, but have not yet discovered its nest.

Coming now to the two-lunged spiders, with opposite fangs (which comprise the great majority of spiders), a notable one is Latrodectus, which has the most evil reputation in South Africa. It is black with medium long legs and a globular abdomen. (The male is much the smaller and has a thin abdomen.) Fortunately this poisonous spider has a warning color, a red flag showing danger at hand! On the back of the abdomen she has a bright red spot (or spots or stripes). She builds a bell-like nest, about three inches long, in a small bush. At the bottom of the bell, which hangs mouth downwards, the web is very fine and open, and from the mouth radiate web strands. As the webbing approaches the top of the bell, it becomes closer woven, until, for about the last inch or so, it is quite opaque and often