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ash, beech, lime, yea the very weeds which grew near 

 them. 



But how did they travel from tree to tree ? Many 

 crawled along the ground, but many had a quicker 

 way ; they hung by their own threads from the ut 

 most branches of the tree, so that a small breeze waft* 

 ed them to the next tree, as spiders pass from one bush 

 to another. 



As they made no use of the threads left behind them, 

 probably they wrought for no other purpose than to 

 rid themselves of that glutinous matter, out of which 

 it was spun. 



In the beginning of June they retired to rest. Their 

 manner of executing this, was very ingenious ; some 

 chose the under side of the branches, just where they 

 spring from the trunk, that they might be defended 

 from the water, which in a shower, running down the 

 bark of the tree, is parted by the branches, and sent 

 off on each side. Here they draw their threads across 

 the angle made by the trunk and branch, and crossing 

 those with other threads, make a strong covering. 

 Within this they place themselves lengthways among 

 the threads, and rolling their bodies round, spin them, 

 selves into little hammocks, in the mean time shrink- 

 ing into half their length ; these hammocks being sus- 

 pended by the transverse threads do not press each 

 other. That they may take up the less room, they 

 lie parallel to each other in the most convenient order 

 possible. Others, still more ingenious, fasten their 

 threads to the edge 'of the leaves which they had saved 

 for that purpose, and with tha: slender cordage pull- 

 ing in the extremities of the leaves, draw themselves 

 into a kind of purse, within which the) form the same 

 sort of work, and lay themselves up as above. Tftey 

 lay themselves up in great numbers iog--ther, both 

 because many were necessary to the work of pro- 

 Tiding a common covering, and also to keep one 

 another warm, while preparing lor ttie great chariot;. 



Between the worm thus laLi up, and the :.a.um ck 

 enclosing it, there is a tough browu shell, probably 

 fc 5 



