SPIDERS. 259 



which is regulated by the will of the animal, and on 

 the mamillae being again brought together, the fila- 

 ments coalesce and form a compound line. 



This author believes that spiders are unable to dart 

 lines from their spinners, and proposes certain experi- 

 ments by which this can be proved. There is one 

 curious notion suggested by Robert Hook, one of the 

 earliest fellows of the Royal Society, which shows to 

 what an extent theorizing may go. Writing of these 

 gossamer webs he says, "they were of the same weight, 

 or very little heavier than the air, and 'tis not unlikely 

 but that those great white clouds, that appear all the 

 summer time may be of the same substance." 



Gilbert White describes a shower of these webs 

 which occurred in 1741 : "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 were not single filmy threads 

 floating in the air in all directions, but perfect flakes 

 of rags ; some near an inch broad, and five or six 

 long. On every side, as the observer turned his eyes, 

 might he behold a continual succession of fresh flakes 

 falling into his sight, and twinkling like stars." 



The Times of Oct. 9, 1826, relates a similar occur- 

 rence at Wigan : " The fields and roads were covered 

 with a light filmy substance, which by many persons 

 was mistaken for cotton. In walking in the fields the 

 shoes were completely covered with it, and its floating 

 fibres came in contact with the face in all directions. 

 Every tree, lamp-post, or other projecting body had 

 arrested a portion of it. It profusely descended at 



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