222 The Ohio Journal of Science [Vol. XX, No. 7, 



DISCUSSION OF THE FOOD HABITS OF EACH SPECIES. 



Lycosa avida Walckenaer. 



Lycosa avida was the most common member of the Lycosids 

 found. It was abundant in pastures and along streams, 

 especially where there were a great many loose stones and was 

 also often found under boards lying on the ground around 

 buildings. This spider varies greatly in color, some individuals 

 were nearly white while others were deep gray and some almost 

 black. 



Several individuals were kept in captivity and their food 

 relations studied. Although this method is not entirely satis- 

 factory, it is the best method that can be used with some 

 Lycosids such as this one. The fact that they are constantly 

 moving about and keep in hiding a greater part of the time 

 make any other method of studying their food habits difficult 

 and almost impossible.* 



Lycosa carolinensis Walckenaer. 



The records given on Lycosa carolinensis are for a single 

 individual which was the only one seen during the summer. 

 This was a very large one, measuring nearly one and one-half 

 inches. Unfortunately in my absence the cage in which it was 

 kept met with an accident late in the summer, the spider escaped 

 and the record had to be discontinued. 



Since this was a large spider I wanted to see how large an 

 insect it would attack. A large Cicada was placed in the box 

 with it on the morning of July 23d. The spider would not 

 attack the Cicada but kept at the other end of the cage. During 

 the night the Cicada was killed and the next morning, July 24th, 

 only the chitinous shell remained, the head, the thorax, and 

 abdomen having been completely hollowed out. From this 

 incident and similar ones I have concluded that the Lycosids 

 seek their prey at night. 



This spider usually only sucked out the soft parts and left 

 the chitinous parts such as legs, wings, wing covers, and body 

 wall but in the case of a few flies the whole insects were eaten. 

 When the whole insect was eaten, the victim was crushed and 



*A tabulated list of the insects which were fed upon by this and all succeeding 

 spiders whose food habits were observed will be found at the end of the paper 

 on page 255. 



