4i^ On the Maimer in ivh'ich 



eivins; us thebcfi and carlieft information rcfpefting cliangc* 

 ui the weather. It was inipollible for me at firli^^ to proxure 

 Disionval's work ; and my curioiity began to be leflencd 

 when I licard that no perfon was able to comprehend it. 

 For this reafon I refolved to make obfervations myfelf; and 

 with this view I collected a great many of the aranea dia- 

 dema and araiua donujlica, as the latter are tbofe which 

 Disjonval mult have had the bed opportunity of obferving 

 when in prifon. The latter fliowed no alteration in their 

 web or their conduft, but in regard to the former I foon 

 had an opportunity of making very in>portant obfervations. 

 \ have already mentioned what every body knows, that this 

 fplder commonly fits in the middle of its web. I now founci 

 that (lie often extended a thread from the centre of her web,, 

 tliat is the ufual place of her refiJence, to the neareft cor- 

 ner ; in which ilie concealed herfelf, inftcad of being in 

 the web : and I always remarked, that this change was 

 connected with a chaiige of the weather, as all my crofs- 

 fpiders made the fame change together ; and immediately af- 

 ter the weather became very raw and cold. It is indeed very 

 natural that thofe infects, when they have a prefenfation of 

 bad weather, ibnuld endeavour to flieiter themfelyes from it. 

 But mv obfervations were too much interrupted by bufinefs 

 and various circumltances, and I was too ill provided with 

 (rood inftrumcnts for comparing the ilate of the weather and 

 «7f the atniofplicre, inch as barometers, thermometers, hy- 

 n'rometers, &c. to be able to fav any thing decifivc on the 

 fnb|vel. What 1 have faid will however furnifli a hint to 

 olliers who may be difpofed to carry thefe rcfearches further. 

 The fame opportunity enabled me to make another obfer- 

 vation, of which I do not recolleft ever to have heard or 

 read, viz. that the crofs-fpider regularly deftroys its v.cb 

 every twenty-four hours, and in the place of the old fubfli- 

 tutes a new one. This it always docs in the night-time, but 

 fufpends the renovation of it when a cloudy (late of the wea- 

 ther atlbrds it no hope of catching any prey, and perhaps 

 when any mechanical obilacles fiand in the way*. This 



obfcrvation 



'■'' That thofc fpiders -ivhich weave their web in the form of a wheel re- 

 new it daily, has been remarked by many obfervers as well as by myfelf. 

 The caufe may be eafily conceived from what I have faid. For leveral 

 years, during the fiimmer, I refided in a houfe fituated in a garden ; and 

 oppohte to the window, which was generally open, a large fpider had ex- 

 tended her web. 1 took great care not to deftroy it, becaufe it fcrvcd in- 

 ilead of one of thofe gauze fcrecns which are commonly employed to keep 

 out flics and gna'^s. The web in the day-time was frequently inj'ired by 

 accidents, but next morning I found it always repaired. One morning, 



having 



