ii6 



EYE SPY 



"^M-k 



Almost any bright autumn or late summer day 

 is certain to reward our search — indeed; a search 

 will hardly be necessary. The entire meadows 

 are often draped in the glistening meshes. They 



festoon the grass tips, 

 and wave their silken 

 streamers from every 

 mullein or other tall 

 weed. Our garments are 

 soon faced with a new 

 warp and woof of 

 glistening silk, and 

 an occasional tick- 

 ling betrays the 

 floating fluffy mass 

 which has en- 

 combed our hands 

 or face. The glis- 

 tening " rain of 

 wool " of Pliny, or the 

 mimic snow - squall of 

 Gilbert White, I have 

 witnessed many times, 

 only in less degree, over 

 the October rowen-fields. 

 This tickling upon our hands is perhaps not all 

 to be accounted for by the mere contact of the 

 silky web. If we examine closely, we shall doubt- 

 less find a lively little spider extricating itself 



