GOSSAMER 241 



numerous, as if they had crept from their retreats, and 

 they were more active than before. About an hour 

 before noon, the day being now warm and the 

 thermometer at 62, very many Spiders were running 

 busily to and fro. They were chiefly bent upon 

 mounting some elevated object, and hardly any tall 

 weed, straw, gate-post or boulder could be examined 

 without finding one or more Spiders climbing upon it. 

 They were not all of one size, nor all of one species. 

 Though very slightly acquainted with the classification 

 of Spiders, I think I may venture to say that at least 

 three species were represented. There were a few 

 large and probably old Spiders in the throng, but 

 these took no part in the manoeuvres next to be 

 described. 



Having gained a post of vantage, every little 

 Spider reared itself upon its legs, and emitted one 

 or more threads. I could not decide whether the 

 threads ever emerged separately from the body, as 

 this could only be ascertained by a very close 

 examination with a powerful lens, and the Spiders 

 were too timid and wary to allow of this. In some 

 cases, the threads merely crossed one another, and 

 adhered. Attus is said to emit a brush of threads at 

 once. The light threads, so fine that they were 

 completely invisible when dry and single, except where 

 the sunlight was reflected from their shining surfaces, 

 seemed to catch the gentlest pufif of air, and were for 

 the most part extended horizontally. When the little 

 Spider felt the pull of the threads, she let go, and was 

 wafted along. I saw some steadily ascend, while 

 others fell gently to the ground. In the course of 



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