256 THE BIOLOGY OF THE SEASONS 



clover-grounds matted all over with a thick coat of cobweb, 

 in the meshes of which a copious and heavy dew hung so 

 plentifully that the whole face of the country seemed, as it 

 were, covered with two or three setting-nets drawn one over 

 another." The dogs could not hunt, " their eyes were so 

 blinded and hoodwinked that they could not proceed." 



" About nine an appearance very unusual began to 

 demand our attention, a shower of cobwebs falling from 

 very elevated regions ; and continuing without any in- 

 terruption till the close of the day." These webs were not 

 single filmy threads, however, but " perfect flakes or rags." 

 " On every side as the observer turned his eyes might he 

 behold a continual succession of fresh flakes falling into 

 his sight, and twinkling like stars as they turned their 

 sides towards the sun." 



In most cases the natural history of gossamer is as 

 follows : Young spiders and small spiders of a good many 

 different kinds seem to become restless in the Autumn. 

 They mount on the tops of plants, on fences, on the hand- 

 rail of a wooden bridge and the like ; they stand on tiptoe 

 with their head facing the gentle currents in the air ; they 

 emit from their spinnerets fine separate threads of silk. 

 They stand on tiptoe, but keep firm hold until the threads 

 of silk floated out on the breeze (if one may say so) are 

 sufficient to bear them. Then with a vault they let go, 

 and are borne by the gentle currents often to great distances. 



They have, of course, no power of directing their move- 

 ments, but it seems likely that they can add to their 

 parachutes (setting more sail) or coil it up in part (taking 

 in a reef), so that they float farther or sink gently to the 

 earth, as the case may be. When tens of thousands of 

 small spiders do this on some suitable Autumn day, we 

 see a flight or shower of gossamer. Some of the spiders 

 many different kinds indulge in ballooning are borne 



