NATURE'S CRAFTSMEN 



Such records serve to mark our progress in the knowl- 

 edge of natural phenomena. Our school-children now 

 know better than to account for floating cobwebs by 

 such impossible theories as a rain of wool or a descent 

 of autumnal dews scorched by the sun. 



The author has not seen in America such notable 

 downfalls of gossamer as described by English writers. 

 The Rev. Mr. I^rby, for example (Kirby and Spence, 



THE ORBWEAVER S BALLOON 



A tiny cone-shaped puff or pellet of silken floss with streamers 



floating fore and aft 



192 



