THE GOSSAMER SPIDER. 489 



( i The Gossamer Spiders appear in swarms only 

 during the harvest, but single spiders are to be 

 found through the whole summer." 



We have a very curious account of the Gossamer, 

 inserted by Mr. White, in the Natural History of 

 Selborne. " On September the 21st, 1 741, being 

 then on a visit, and intent on field diversions, I rose 

 before day-break. When I came into the inclosures, 

 I found the stubbles and 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. When the dogs attempted to 

 hunt, their eyes were so blinded and hoodwinked 

 that they could not proceed, but were compelled to 

 lie down and scrape the incumbrances from their 

 faces with their fore-feet ; so that, finding my sport 

 interrupted, I returned home, musing in my mind 

 on the oddness of the occurrence. 



" As the morning advanced the sun became 

 bright and warm, and the day turned out one of 

 those most lovely ones which no season but the 

 autumn produces ; cloudless, calm, serene, and 

 worthy of the south of France itself. 



" About nine an appearance very unusual began 

 to demand our attention ; a shower of cobwebs 

 falling fiom very elevated regions, and continuing, 

 without any interruption, till the close of the day. 

 These webs were not single filmy threads, floating 

 in the air in all directions, but perfect flakes or rags, 

 some nearly an inch broad, and five or six long, which 



