282 Senders' Wehs. 



There, taking the dead fly on his feet — much as a 

 juggler plays with a ball upon his toes — the spider 

 rolls it round aud round, enveloping it in a cocoon of 

 web, and finally hangs up his game head uppermost, 

 and resumes his own position head downwards. An- 

 other spider wraps his prey in a cocoon b}' spinning 

 himself and the fly together round and round. At 

 the end of Septemljer or beginning of October acres 

 of furze may be seen covered with web in the morn- 

 ing, w^hen the dew deposited upon it renders it visi- 

 ble. As the sun dries up the dew the web is no 

 longer seen. 



On September 21 of last year the rooks were soar- 

 ing and diving ; they continued to do this several 

 days in succession. I should like to say again that I 

 attach no importance to these dates, but give them 

 for illustration : these, too, were taken in a warm 

 district. Eooks usually soar a good deal about the 

 time of the equinox. On September 29 the heaths 

 and furze were white with the spiders' webs alluded 

 to above. September 27, larks singing jo^'ouslj'. 

 October 2, a few grasshoppers still calhng in the 

 grass — heard one or two three or four da^'s later. 

 October 4, the ivy in full flower. October 7, the 

 thrushes singing again in the morning. October 6 

 and 7, pheasants roaming in the hedges for acorns. 

 October 13, a dragon-fly — large and green — hawk- 

 ing to and fro on the sunny side of hedge. October 

 15, the first redwing. During latter part of Sep- 

 tember and begianing of October, frogs croaking 

 in the ivy. 



Now, these dates would vary greatly in diflerent 

 localities, but they show, clearer than a mere asser- 



