1 66 The Natural History 



Dr. Lister says they have, [see his Letters to Mr. Ray] 

 then, when they ^vere become heavier than the air, they 

 must fall. 



Every day in fine weather, in autumn chiefly, do I see 

 those spiders shooting out their webs and mounting 

 aloft : they will go off from your finger if you will take 

 them into your hand. Last summer one alighted on my 

 book as I was reading in the parlour ; and, running to 

 the top of the page, and shooting out a web, took its 

 departure from thence. But what I most wondered at, 

 was that it went off with considerable velocity in a place 

 where no air was stirring ; and I am sure that I did not 

 assist it with my breath. So that these little crawlers 

 seem to have, while mounting, some loco-motive power 

 without the use of wings, and to move in the air, faster 

 than the air itself 



LETTER XXIV 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON 



Selborne, Aug. 15, 1775. 



Dear Sir, 

 There is a wonderful spirit of sociality in the brute 

 greation, independent of sexual attachment : the congre- 

 cating of gregarious birds in the winter is a remarkable 

 instance. 



Many horses, though quiet with company, will not stay 

 one minute in a field by themselves : the strongest fences 

 cannot restrain them. My neighbour's horse will not 

 only not stay by himself abroad, but he will not bear to 

 be left alone in a strange stable without discovering the 

 utmost impatience, and endeavouring to break the rack 

 and manger with his fore feet. He has been known to 

 leap out at a stable-window, through which dung was 

 thrown, after company; and yet in other respects is 

 remarkably quiet. Oxen and cows will not fatten by 

 themselves ; but will neglect the finest pasture that is 



