THE GOSSAMER SPIDER, 4S7 



und M. Pereboon has discovered a kind of beetle, 

 furnished with a vesicle on its back ; from the 

 hinder parts of which, on both sides, proceed two 

 threads that extend over the extremity of the body, 

 and end in a double thread, sometimes ten or more 

 inches in length, which thread he supposes to form 

 the Gossamer. 



" Having made, for many years, the closest ob- 

 servations on this phenomenon, I am of opinion 

 it is caused by a species of field spider, so small 

 and active as to be imperceptible, unless the ob- 

 server possess a very acute sight. This spider, if 

 it have no name already, I propose to call the Gos- 

 samer Spider, Arawa Obtextrix. It is about the 

 size of the head of a small pin. Its head is some- 

 what long, and has in the fore-part eight grey eyes, 

 placed in a circular form. The body is of a shining 

 dark brown colour, with the abdomen shaped like 

 an egg. The legs are yellowish* 



" These spiders first appear in the beginning of 

 October, in woods, gardens, and meadows, where 

 their eggs are hatched in safety: thence they spread 

 themselves over whole districts, and, during the 

 rest of October, and till the middle of November, 

 may be found in dry fields throughout Europe. 

 Extensive tracts of land are sometimes seen swarm- 

 ing with them. In the beginning of October, when 

 but very few are hatched, some single threads of 

 their webs, extending from twig to twig, are seen 

 only in the sunshine ; about the middle of the 

 month their threads are more perceptible ; and 

 toward the end, if a person stand in such a posi- 

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