UYl.] 



OF SELBORNE. 



191 



Every day in fine weather, in autumn chiefly, do I see those 

 spiders shooting out their webs and mounting aloft : they will 

 go off from your finger if you will take them into your hand. 

 Last summer one alighted on my book as I was reading in the 

 parlour ; and, running to the top of the page, and shooting out 

 a web, took its departure from thence. But what I most won- 

 dered at was, that it went off with considerable velocity in a 

 place where no air was stirring ; and I am sure that I did not 

 assist it with my breath. So that these little crawlers seem to 

 have, while mounting, some locomotive power without the use 

 of wings, and so move in the air faster than the air itself. 



SELBORNE, June 8, 1775. 



LETTER LXVI. 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON. 



THERE is a wonderful spirit of sociality in the brute creation, 

 independent of sexual attachment. Of this the congregating of 

 gregarious birds in the winter is a remarkable instance. 



Many horses, though quiet with company, will not stay one 

 minute in a field by themselves : the strongest fences cannot 

 restrain them. My neighbour's horse will not only not stay by 

 himself abroad, but he will not bear to be left alone in a strange 

 stable without discovering the utmost impatience, and endea- 

 vouring to break the rack and manger with his fore-feet. He 

 has been known to leap out at a stable-window, through which 

 dung was thrown, after company ; and yet in other respects is 

 remarkably quiet. Oxen and cows will not fatten by them- 

 selves : but will neglect the finest pasture that is not recom- 

 mended by society. It would be needless to add instances in 

 sheep, which constantly flock together. 



But this propensity seems not to be confined to animals of the 

 same species ; for we know a doe, still alive, that was brought 



