188 
IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Vor. XXIX, 1922 
tually eaten are recorded. As shown in Tables I and II, crickets 
and grasshoppers constituted the main diet. This preference was 
noted early in the study and so far as possible they were sup- 
plied. 
TABEE I. NUMBER OF INSECTS EATEN EACH WEEK BY 
TARANTULA, AMES, IOWA, 1920 
Insects 
August 
| September 
II 
October 
Crickets 
II 7 | 7 | 6 | 
II 1 1 1 
II 
1 1 1 1 
Grasshoppers 
|| 2 | 8 | 5 | 
II 1 1 1 
II 
| 1 | 4 | 
Moths 
II 1 1 1 2 | 
II 1 1 1 
ii 
| 1 | 1 | 
Caterpillars 
II 2 | 2 | | 
ii i i i 
ii 
r i i 
Beetles 
II 2 | | 2 | 
it i i i 
ii 
1 1 1 
Flies 
II 1 1 1 1 ' 1 
II 1 1 1 
ii 
i i i 
On August 21, 1920, the tarantula refused to eat and became 
inactive at the bottom of the cage. Strands of silk forming a 
loosely constructed web were observed August 25. It remained 
in a dormant condition beneath the web until October 6, for a 
period of forty-six days, when it moulted. The moulting pro- 
cess was not observed but after the moult the specimen was 
much larger, more active and of a darker color. It continued to 
feed until the middle of October when it became inactive. Dur- 
ing the winter the tarantula refused to eat and would move only 
when disturbed. The cage was kept in the house so that the 
temperature never reached freezing. 
By the middle of March, 1921, the tarantula became active and 
continued feeding until May 22. 
TABLE II. NUMBER OF INSECTS EATEN EACH WEEK BY 
TARANTULA, AMES, IOWA, 1921 
Insects 
May 
i 
June 
| July | August 
| September 
Crickets 
1 •:M 5| 
1| 
1 1 1 
1 1 2| 9| 6| 4| 6| 6| 
8| 4| 5| 2| 3 
Grasshoppers 
i ii ii i 
1 
1 1 1 
1 3| 2| | 4| | | | 
1 2| 2| |3 
Moths 
1. 1 3| | 
1 
i i i 
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
1 2| | 2| 
Caterpillars 
1 11 1 1 
1 
1 1 1 
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
1 1 1 1 
Beetles 
Mil 
1 
1 1 1 
1 1 1 1 1 I I 
i i i n i 
Flies 
I12| | | 
1 
1 1 1 
II 1 1 1 1 1 1 
i i i i 
It refused to eat for more than a month as indicated by the blank 
spaces in the above table. On June 3 it moulted the second time. 
The act of moulting was not observed. The cast skin, entangled 
with strands of silk, was left in perfect condition. The dorsal 
portion of the cephalothorax was removed in one piece and was 
still clinging to the claw of the right hind leg that had torn it 
