Gossa- 



Oa September the 21 st, 1741, being then on a visit, 

 and intent on field diversions, I rose before day- 

 break : when I came into the enclosures, I found 

 the stubbles and clover-grounds matted all over with a thick coat of 

 cobweb, in the meshes of which a copious and heavy dew hung so 

 plentifully that the whole face of the country seemed, as it were, 

 covered with two or three setting-nets drawn one over another. 

 When the dogs attempted to' hunt, their eyes were so blinded and 

 hoodwinked that they could not proceed, but were obliged to lie 

 down and scrape the incumbrances from their faces with their fore- 

 feet ; so that, finding my sport interrupted, I returned home, musing 

 in my mind on the oddness of the occurrence. 



As the morning advanced the sun became bright and warm, and 

 the day turned out one of those most lovely ones which no season 

 but the autumn produces ; cloudless, calm, serene, and worthy of the 

 South of France itself. 



About nine, an appearance very unusual began to demand our 

 attention a shower of cobwebs falling from very elevated regions, 

 and continuing, without any interruption, till the close of the day. 



These webs are not single filmy threads, floating in the air in 

 all directions, but perfect flakes or rags ; some near an inch broad, 

 and five or six long, which fell with a degree of velocity, that 

 showed they were considerably heavier than the atmosphere. 



On every side, as the observer turned his eyes, might he behold a 

 continual succession of fresh flakes falling into his sight, and twink- 

 ling like stars as they turned their sides towards the sun. 



How far this wonderful shower extended would be difficult to 

 say ; but we know that it reached Bradley, Selborne, and Alresford, 

 three places which lie in a sort of triangle, the shortest of whose 

 sides is about eight miles in extent G. W. 



192 



