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The eggcase of Sicarius is unique among spiders. Its masonry wall resembles in texture the nests of mud dauber wasps.. And, unlike other spider eggcases, it is buried in sand, attached to stones. We do not know of any other masonry construction by spiders, or of other buried eggsacs. Some spiders incorporate sand grains and detritus into their webs or their trapdoors. The European theridiid Achaearanea saxatile (C. L. Koch) makes a thimble-shaped retreat for herself and her silken eggsac (P6tzsch, 963), and covers the thimble with large sand grains and little stones. The colonial European zodariids, Zodarion germanicum (C. L. Koch) and Z. elegans Simon, build retreats under stones. Each semispherical retreat is covered by sand grains from the surroundings, and pieces of bark and spruce needles are woven into the wall. The retreat is used by the .spider and the eggsac is hung up in it. As far as I know, the building of the retreat has not been observed. Wiehle (1953) illustrates a row of large setae in front of the zodariid spinnerets and peculiar branched setae that cover the legs and tarsi. These seta.e are perhaps used for handling the detritus.

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