SPIDEKS' WEBB 47 



Smith has given us some notes upon the way in which this is done. 

 The species whose methods he describes is a tiny jet black one found 

 almost everywhere. In St James' Park, for instance, these creatures 

 are common after the first frosts, and at the end of October or the begin- 

 ning of November they crawl to the tops of railings, particularly 

 those made of iron. Here they lift up the hinder part of their 

 bodies, and, in a way still to be discovered, rapidly send out threads 

 from their spinners. The slightest breeze carries off the end of these 

 threads, and they are quickly paid out until they will bear the 

 weight of the spider, which then lets go its hold and sails away. 



A tangle may be formed here and there on the strand, making it 

 more like a parachute, or if one is formed at the beginning of 

 the gossamer it acts as a kite. Many interesting observations may 

 be made as to the amount of silk one of these spiders can produce, 

 the trial threads spun and cut adrift, and the difficulties with which 

 the creatures have to contend. 



From what Mr Pickard-Cambridge says it appears that some 

 gossamer spinners weave snares or webs after they settle down, 

 while others belong to groups which never do this. As to the 

 gossamer itself, when the air is dry it flies high, and when this 

 happens it is generally a good sign of settled fair weather, while 

 the contrary is the case if the threads lie on the surface of the 

 ground and on the herbage. The number of spiders which must 

 at times be active may be judged from the following passage from 

 Mr Pickard -Cambridge's letter : 



"When a partridge shooter in bygone days, I have often seen 

 on a bright still September day these gossamer lines flying so 

 numerously over the surface of the stubbles as to give almost 

 the appearance of a floating sheet, shimmering as it waved in the 

 sunlight, and the dogs were often seriously inconvenienced by the 



