35 



The small spider with which these remarks are con- 

 nected has its eyes disposed in a circle somewhat 

 elongated ; the body and legs, examined with a lens, 

 are hairy, palpi bifid, and protuberant at the end; 

 tarsus, forked or clawed ; legs, &c. somewhat translu- 

 cent ; abdomen and thorax glossy, and of a dark ferru- 

 ginous colour ; anal processes, three ; the femur and 

 tibia have each two articulations. Mr. Kirby writes 

 us, that he thinks the aranea obstetrix of Starck is that 

 referred to : but the one described by Starck under 

 this name is striped, and the eyes are arranged in the 

 form of a square, which are certainly sufficient dis- 

 tinctions. This approximates more nearly to Bech- 

 stein's aranea obstetrix. We shall take leave, therefore, 

 to call it ARANEA AERONAUTiCA, because, under the 

 name aranea obstetrix the German naturalists describe 

 two entirely different insects. The chief reason, how- 

 ever, for our proposing the assigned name is the fact 

 that its ascent and movement in the air are essential to 

 its existence ; and the numbers that occur in the atmo- 

 sphere are such as sufficiently to account for the gossa- 

 mer, and its beautiful and interesting phenomena. It 

 cannot, therefore, be doubted, that those threads which 

 glisten in the sunbeam, and float in the air from the 

 hedges and hedge-rows, and the reticular tissue on 

 grass, which, when sparkling with dew, refracts so 

 beautifully the tints of the rainbow, are the work of 

 the aeronautic spider. 



Connected with this question, we may mention a 

 phenomenon similar to that mentioned by Mr. White, 

 and witnessed on the 16th of September, 1822, at 

 Bewdley, in Worcestershire. Between the hours of 

 11 A.M. and 2 P. M. the whole atmosphere seemed to 

 be a tissue of cobwebs, which continued to fall in great 

 numbers, and in quick succession; the temperature 

 c 6 



