334 MOTIONS OF INSECTS. 



become a point of support. Their eight legs alsa^ 

 which diverge from their body like the spokes from the 

 nave of a vt'heel, give them equal hold of eight almost 

 equidistant spaces, which, doubtless, is a great stay 

 to them. 



The next species of locomotion exhibited by perfect 

 insects is jlying. I am not certain whether under this 

 head I ought to introduce the sailing of spiders in the 

 air ; but as there is no other under which it can be 

 more properly arranged, I shall treat of it here. I 

 shall therefore divide flying insects into those that fly 

 without wings, and those that fly with them. 



I dare say you are anxious to be told how any ani- 

 mals can fly without wings, and wish me to begin with 

 them. As an observer of nature, you have often, with- 

 out doubt, been astonished by that sight occasionally 

 noticed in fine days in the autumn, of webs — commonly 

 called gossamer webs — covering the earth and float- 

 ing in the air; and have frequently asked yourself — 

 What are these gossamer webs ? Your question has 

 from old times much excited the attention of learned 

 naturalists. It was an old and strange notion that 

 these webs were composed of dew burned by the sun. 



*' The fine nets which oft we woven see 



Of scorched dew," 



says Spenser. Another, fellow to it, and equally ab- 

 surd, was that adopted by a learned man and good na- 

 tural philosopher, and one of the first fellows of the 

 Royal Society, Robert Hooke, the author of Micro' 

 graphia. " Much resembling a cobweb," says he, " or 

 a confused lock of these cylinders, is a certain white 



