https://sandhillsarchive.unl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/321301-1899089.jpg

Media

Part of A Pair of Spiderlings

extracted text

seven times--supposing that he shed it onee before he was sep=
arated from his mother, for the bottom of the cage was strem
with tiny cast-off skins. After she came into our possession
and before winter Mien shed her skin five times, Mica's
jackets wo saved, and they make an interesting series.

We had little nope of keeping our spiders through the
winter, and did not know whether they would beoqme dormant or
remain active in their unnatural surroundings. ‘he food prob-
len was also becoming serious, Flies and crickets wore get
ting scarce, and by December we were at our wits' end. One of
our other lycosids had shown a liking for cream, and Diana



uld eat fresh beef; but Robinson and jiiea demanded live
game. One dey a stray cockroach appeared on the scene and
was put into Micats cage as an experiment. Quick as a flash
the cockroach was captured and the food question was solved;
for cockroaches live the year round in steam-heated buildings
and would be easy to procure.

‘The spiders seemed to thrive in their artificial sur-
roundings, and were as active as in the warn weathor. Their

appetites varied, Sometimes they vould go three weeks without



eating; at other times they would eat daily, We found, how-
ever, that a constant suvly of water was essential to their
existence,

We had hoped no mishap vould befall, but the first week



in February Robinson curled his legs under him in the pitiful



attitude which means appronching death, and died in a fow