150 WILD XATURE'S WAYS. 



and the remainder equally straight and close to 

 each other behind, clapped flat and motionless, 

 and thus rendered itself difficult to see. 



On the Westmoreland Fells in June the 

 stone walls are numerously tenanted by a medium 

 sized spider, which suspends its web from the 

 projecting " throughs," and when disturbed, 

 magically vanishes into a small grey cloud of 

 mist. By a series of indescribably rapid motions 

 it makes the web upon which it rests vibrate 

 until it becomes invisible. 



When the little members of a family of spiders 

 leave the cocoon in which they have been hatched, 

 they spin for themselves webs upon wliich to 

 take exercise and enjoy the sunshine. 



One day, whilst walking alongside an old 

 dry wall, I noticed a peculiar black knob between 

 two of the top stones. At first sight it appeared 

 to be attached to nothmg at all, but a closer 

 inspection revealed the fact that it was a family 

 of baby spiders resting on a crude and scanty 

 web, which harmonised so completely with the 

 grey sky behind as to render it almost invisible. 



After photographing the happy assembly as 

 I found it, I put another plate into position, and 

 touching one of the threads of the web, made it 

 vibrate. There was an instant stampede, and I 

 re-photographed the tiny creatures scattering for 

 safety as shown in the picture on page 149. 



