GOSSAMER AND SILK 



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You may scarcely take an autumn walk and fail to see the 

 signs of a new activity to set against the autumnal loss and 

 failing. Young birds are finding their vigour ; migration 

 itself is an example of almost preternatural energy. The 

 minute goldcrest that whispers about the evergreen in the 

 garden, that allows us almost to touch it, and makes no flight 

 of more than a score or two of yards, has just dashed across 

 the North Sea in one ecstatic burst of incredible power. 

 The dragon-flies in their marriage flights embroider un- 

 traceable patterns of colour in and about the purple sprays 

 of the hedgerow. Moles and worms, the first ploughmen, 

 turn up the ground, as if just for enjoyment of the yeasty 

 smells and softened stuff. But if there is to be a com- 

 parison of activities at this season the spiders perhaps take 

 the suffrages. Indeed spiders are remarkable for activity 

 at many seasons. Country people take their appearance for 

 a sign of foul weather ; and they certainly also prognosticate 

 fine weather. 



The district to see them is the West of England ; per- 

 haps South Wales is the best of all. Walking along the 

 valleys where the furze and broom flourish, you might think 

 that nature designed the spikes and minarets of the gorse 

 for the purpose of slinging horizontal webs. In the dewy 

 morning each is strung with pearl drops, making' distinct the 



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