1 64 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



LETTER XXIII 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON 



Selborne, June 8, 1 775. 



Dear Sir, 

 On September the 21st, 1741, being then on a visit, and 

 intent on field-diversions, I rose before daybreak : when I 

 came into the enclosures, 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 obliged 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 from 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 near an inch broad, and 

 five or six long, which fell with a degree of velocity 

 which showed they were considerably heavier than the 

 atmosphere. 



On every side as the observer turned his eyes might he 

 behold a continual succession of fresh flakes falling into 

 his sight, and twinkling like stars as they turned their 

 sides towards the sun. 



How far this wonderful shower extended would be 



