112 On North American Spiders. 
In very calm and serene days in the forementioned time of year, 
standing at some distance behind the end of a house or some other 
opake body, so as just to hide the disk of the sun and keep off his 
dazzling rays, and looking along close by the side of it, I have seen 
a vast multitude of little shining webs, and glistening strings, brightly 
reflecting the sunbeams, and some of them of great length, and of 
such a height that one would think they were tacked to the vault 
of the heavens, and would be burnt like tow in the sun, and make a 
very beautiful, pleasing, as well as surprising appearance. It is won- 
derful at what a distance, these webs may plainly be seen. Some 
that are at a great distance appear (it cannot be less than) several 
thousand times as big as they ought. I believe they appear under 
as great an angle, as a body of a foot diameter ought to do at such 
a distance ; so greatly doth brightness increase the apparent bigness 
of bodies at a distance, as is observed of the fixed stars. 
‘ But that which is most astonishing, is, that very often appeal 
at the end of these webs, spiders sailing in the air with them ; which 
I have often beheld with wonderment and pleasure, and showed to 
others. And since I have seen these things, I have been very cot 
versant with spiders ; resolving if possible, to find out the mysteries 
of these their astonishing works. And I have been so happy as V¢y 
frequently to see their manner of working ; that when a spider would 
go from one tree to another, or would fly in the air, he first lets 
himself down a little way from the twig he stands on by 4 web, 
as in Fig. 1; and then, laying hold of 
it by his fore feet, and bearing himself 1 
by that, puts outa web, as in Fig. 2, which 4 
is drawn out of his tail with infinite ease, 
in the gently moving air, to what length 
the spider pleases ; and if the farther end 
happens to catch by a shrub or the branch 
of a tree, the spider immediately feels it, 
and fixes the hither end of it to the web 
by which he let himself down, and goes 
over by that web which he put out of his 
tailasin Fig. 3. And this, my eyes have 
innumerable times made me sure of. 
* Now, Sir, it is certain that these webs, when they first proceed 
from the spider are so rare a substance, that they are lighter thant 
air, because they will ascend in it, as they will immediately in a 
