22 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 
Again, I have often seen the mouth parts applied directly to water, 
which appeared to be appropriated in the usual way of feeding by pressing 
the liquid into the gullet. Spiders of all tribes have been seen drinking in 
this way, and this is the method continually practiced by my tarantulas 
in confinement as shown in the sketch at Fig. 7. I frequently receive 
living spiders sent long distances in boxes or bottles, and my first act is 
to give them fresh water, which they usually rush upon and at once eagerly 
apply their mouth parts thereto as here shown. 
A brood of young Zillas kept in my study were given water daily 
by throwing it in spray above the greatly extended fine web upon which 
they were domiciled. They were often observed to take the moisture by 
passing the legs to the mouth in the manner above described. On one 
occasion I observed one of the brood carrying a goodly sized globule of 
moisture in her jaws, which were spread out (Fig. 8) upon the drop over 
which, on either side, the palps were also extended. These organs seemed 
to be inserted into the globule, which, however, probably only adhered to 
them by means of the delicate hairs upon them. At all events the young 
aranead climbed over her web, carrying the particle with her. 
At the same time a young Agalena nevia, which had wandered from 
her little tent spread on the table beneath, and was promenading the broad 
sheeted commons of the Epeiroids, 
had seized one of the largest drops 
of spray and was making off with 
it. The water was attached to the 
mouth parts, as in the above in- 
as stance, but in addition the animal 
Fic. 8, a yong Zilla, and Fie. 9, a young Agalena had thrown one fore leg (F ig. 9) 
carrying a drop of water. around the side of the globule, 
and thus trudged along, literally carrying an armful of water. I watched 
her until she had gone eight inches in this way, when the drop, which had 
gradually diminished in size, had nearly disappeared. It was certainly 
a curious sight, this little spiderling trampling over the gossamer highway 
carrying in jaw and claw this strange drinking cup, which shone like a 
silver ball against the black body of its wee porter. 
The same behavior was noticed in another individual of a brood of 
Epeiroids, similarly confined. One of the young had taken or become en- 
tangled with a drop of water, which it encompassed in part by one of its 
second pair of legs, and with the remaining legs strode, back downward, 
along the web. The moisture did not adhere to the lines, although fre- 
quently in contact with them, and the drop was carried along several inches 
to a tall box. As soon as the drop touched the wood it was absorbed, and 
the spiderling returned to the lines, whereon she suspended herself and 
began licking the dampness from her legs. Such facts strengthen the 
probability that the dew furnishes a supply for satisfying aranead thirst. 
