NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Its industry and delicacy of its threads. 



spiders first appear in the beginning of 

 October, in woods, gardens, and meadows, where 

 their eggs are hatched in safety : thence they 

 spread themselves over whole districts, and, du- 

 ring the rest of October, and till the middle of 

 November, may be found in dry fields through- 

 out Europe. Extensive tracts of land are some- 

 times seen swarming with them. In the begin- 

 ing of October, when but very few are hatched, 

 some single threads of their webs, extending 

 from twig to twig, are seen only in the sunshine ; 

 about the middle of the month their threads are 

 more perceptible ; and toward the end, if a per- 

 son stand in such a position as to see the sun- 

 beams play on the slender threads, hedges, mea- 

 dows, corn-fields, stubble land, and even whole 

 districts, appear covered as with a sort of fine 

 white gauze. 



These little animals do not weave webs, but 

 only extend their threads from one place to an- 

 other. These threads are so delicate, that not 

 one can be seen unless the sun shines upon it. 

 One of them, to be visible at other times, must 

 be composed of at least six common thread* 

 twisted together. In serene calm days these spi- 

 ders work with great diligence, especially after 

 the disappearance of the morning fogs. Between 

 twelve and two, however, their industry excites 

 the greatest admiration : a person with a pretty 

 quick eye, or by the help of a glass, may some-' 

 times perceive among the barley-stubble such a 



