ORDERS OP INSECTS. 227 



plants so completely as to produce the appearance of a dis- 

 coloured change of structure. 



The family of spiders (ara'nea) is not always arranged 

 ^among insects, and strictly speaking their structure is dif- 

 ferent in some important particulars. They are distinguish- 

 ed from all other insects by the absence of the antennae. 

 They have generally eight legs, and are furnished with six 

 or eight eyes, which enable them to see objects in several 

 different directions at once. They are nourished generally 

 by living prey, which they secure by means of a web, spun 

 with much ingenuity. The threads, of which the web is 

 compo'sed, are produced from six little fleshy bunches, or 

 muscular instruments, each of which contains about a 

 thousand tubes, or outlets of threads, so extremely minute 

 that many hundreds of them must be united before they 

 form one of those visible ropes, of which the spider's web is 

 composed. By means of their webs, many species of spi- 

 ders, particularly when young, are able to transport them- 

 selves to a considerable distance through the air. In order 

 to effect this, they ascend some eminence, and throw out a 

 number of webs. These are raised up and carried along by 

 the wind, and the animal being buoyed up by them is conveyed 

 sometimes to a great height. In order to alight, they have 

 only to disengage themselves from a part of their web, and 

 suffer themselves to descend gradually to the ground. It is 

 probable that they have recourse to this expedient, in part 

 at least, for the purpose of catching insects for food. In 

 autumn, the air is often full of the cobwebs which have been 

 made use of for this singular mode of conveyance. This 

 fine filmy substance is called Gossamer ; and it is seen not 

 only in the air, but is more observable in stubble fields, and 

 upon furze and other low bushes. Those who have ascend- 

 ed eminences for the purpose of observing the phenomenon, 

 have frequently seen spiders floating by in the air, supported 

 in the manner which has been described. 



To the Insect of the Gossamer .••—By C. Smith. 



Small, viewless aeronaut, that by the line ^ 

 Of Gossamer suspended, in mid air 

 Float'st on a sunbeam. Living atom, where 

 Ends thy breeze-guided voyage 1 With what desig« 

 In ether dost thou launch thy form minute, 



