228 



NATURE'S CALENDAR 



October 22 



Aquatic insects are still lively, but one 

 by one sink to the bottom, where the 

 caddis-worms are snug in the cases that 

 will protect them until spring. " I find 

 caddis-cases with worms in Second Di- 

 vision Brook," Thoreau notes on October 

 2ist; "and what mean those little piles 

 of yellow sand on dark-colored stones at. 

 the bottom of the swift-running water, 

 kept together and in place by some kind 

 of gluten, and looking as if sprinkled on 

 the stones, one-eighteenth of an inch in 

 diameter? These caddis-worms build a 

 little case around themselv^es, and some- 

 times attach a few dead leaves to dis- 

 guise it, and then fasten it lightly to some 

 swaying grass stem or blade at the bot- 

 tom in swift water, and these are their 

 quarters till next spring. This reminds 

 me that winter does not put his rude fin- 

 gers in the bottom of the brooks." 



In one direction the insect world mani- 

 fests itself now very strongly, for this is 

 the month when the gossamer of spid- 

 ers is all too prevalent for our comfort. 



Often in late summer the bushes are 

 covered with threads that are attached by 

 one end and blow out in the wind. These 

 become especially numerous in autumn, 

 and everybody knows that they are 

 threads spun by spiders, but all do not 

 know how or why. Small spiders, and 

 especially the young of the Lj'cosa family 

 (the running spiders), are very fond now 

 of flying, apparently "just for fun." They 



October 23 



