260 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



comes about that the very means of destruction to one proprietor becomes 

 a means for furnishing abundant supplies to another; and doubtless that 

 which at one time serves to destroy, at another time brings food to the 

 larder of the same spider. There are not many animals that enjoy a like 

 distinction of having human unfriends "beat up" the game for them as 

 does the hunter spider silently seated at its araneal " run." 



The ability of spiders to endure prolonged abstinence is very great, 

 and to this end nature has admirably arranged their constitution. When 

 the abdomen is opened in dissection a large quantity of adipose 

 .p, ,. matter comes into view, which supports and separates the dif- 

 ferent internal organs. This reservoir of fat is a storehouse of 

 nutriment, which enables spiders to bear very long abstinence. When 

 they have been deprived of food for a long time, the abdomen becomes 

 smaller and shriveled up. I have at this writing in my possession one of 

 our American tarantulas, Eurypelma Hentzii, which has had nothing to 

 eat for a period of more than seven months. 1 During that time I have 

 supplied it freely and continually with water, and it appears to be in en- 

 tire health, and quite active. On several occasions I have preserved the 

 same species quite as long without food. Longer periods of abstinence 

 have been recorded by other observers. Of course, I do not refer to the 

 period of hibernation, during which no food is required, but to absti- 

 nence during the seasons when spiders are wont to feed. 



When an opportunity is given for feeding, they appear to be able to 

 make up for lost time by consuming an extraordinary amount of food. 

 The number of insects which a healthy spider is able to devour 

 Enor- during a day, without apparent inconvenience, has often been a 

 p ,. great surprise to me. Before reaching maturity, such feeding 

 rapidly produces a very apparent effect in growth. A half -grown 

 spider, happening upon a location visited numerously by insects, will ex- 

 perience astonishing increase within a brief time. 



III. 



The manner of feeding among other tribes is not greatly different 

 from that of Orbweavers. The Lineweavers swathe their captives in the 

 manner above described, and eat them while they hang back 

 Compara- downwards upon their snares, revolving the carcass and sucking 

 p ,. its juices in the same manner as Orbweavers. In their mode of 

 Habits feeding, the Tubeweavers, although Sedentary spiders, quite re- 

 semble that which prevails among the Tunnelweavers and the 

 Wandering tribes. That is to say, they simply seize prey with their paws 

 and fangs, and feed upon them without swathing. Such Tubeweavers as 

 Agalena noevia and Tegenaria medicinalis seize the insects as they drop 



1 From the latter part of October, 1888, until June 19th, 1889. 



