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tended for respiration. The spider, wrapped up 

 in this little diving-bell, endeavoured on every 

 side to make its escape ; but in vain, on account 

 of the slipperiness of the glass ; and after re- 

 maining at the bottom for about thirteen mi- 

 nutes, it returned, apparently much exhausted, 

 as it coiled itself closely under the platform, and 

 remained there for some time without motion. 



Another beautiful thing that my uncle was 

 shewn by Dr. W., was a veil woven by cater- 

 pillars actually a gossamer veil. The inge- 

 nious person, a German I believe, who had 

 managed those little manufacturers, spread 

 them over a large glass, and contrived to place 

 them so that the work of each was connected 

 with that of its neighbour. As he could direct 

 or change their progress at pleasure, he was not 

 only able to form the veil of a tolerably regular 

 shape, but by sometimes inducing them to go two 

 or three times over the same spot, to give it the 

 appearance of flowered lace. The whole veil, 

 though of a large size, weighed only three grains 

 and a half; and a breath blew it up into the air, 

 where it floated like a cloud. 



. When my uncle was in town, he was 

 present at the opening and examination of an 

 Egyptian mummy, along with several members 

 of the Royal Society. Some mummies, he says, 

 have two cases ; in these, the outer one is orna- 



