DRINKING HABITS AND WATER LIFE. 



21 



web 

 Spider, 



The Purseweb spider, according to Mr. W. L. Poteat/ is scrupulously 

 neat. The droppings of his captive spiders were deposited outside the 

 nesting tulje, and generally at such a distance as necessitated 

 Purse- jjgj. leaving the nest. These deposits were observed only in the 

 morning, so that she quits her tube at night, at least for this 

 pui-pose.'^ One usually finds a cluster of insect remains loosely 

 adhering to the outer wall of the tube, a little below its upper extremity. 

 These do not seem to be purposely attached to the tube, but to be acci- 

 dentally entangled when being thrown out, as with excavated earth, for 

 they are often seen on the ground at the foot of the tube. The leavings 

 of a single feast are frequently seen bound together with silk. On one 

 tube was recognized the remains of some Neuropterous insect and of two 

 woollj^-bear caterpillars, such as hair, bits of chitinous integument, mandi- 

 bles, joints of legs, etc. The elytra of beetles are also common. 



Fig. 7. A tarantula drinking water from a saucer. 

 III. 



Spiders require water, as do most animals, for their health, comfort, and 

 growth. They can, indeed, live long periods deprived of water, but unless 



supplied with an equivalent in the animal juices of their prey 

 Drinkmg ^^^^ perish from thirst. Even when insect food is abundant they 



enjoy fresh water, and habitually partake of it in nature. The 

 dews which gather upon their weljs during the hot months probably aiford 

 a common supply. In the morning after a heavy dew, or after a rain 

 shower, spiders may be seen brushing away the moisture accumulated upon 

 the hairs which clothe their bodies. This is done by passing the fore legs 

 forward over the head and cephalothorax, and the hind legs over the abdo- 

 men backward. The legs, which gather the moisture upon their armature 

 of hairs and spines, are then doubled under the body and drawn between 

 the two mandibles, or between the mandibles and lip, thus brushing off the 

 water, a part of which, however, remains and is taken into the mouth. 



A Tube Building Spider, page 16. 



- Ibid., page 15. 



