126 THE WONDER OF LIFE 



early part of their life on the ground, or on herbs and 

 bushes, or in the water, for the possession of the air is, 

 of course, a secondary victory. It is interesting to notice, 

 however, how very independent of the earth many of 

 the birds have become, with even their nests far off the 

 ground. How thoroughly aerial a bird may be is well 

 illustrated by the common swift, which throughout the 

 long summer daylight never alights or pauses, except for 

 brief moments at the nest. 



Gossamer. — In illustration of successful adventure into 

 the air, the flights of gossamer-spiders may be noticed. At 

 various times throughout the year, but especially in the 

 autumn, large numbers of small spiders congregate on the 

 tops of palings and bridge- rails and herbage, and standing 

 on tiptoe with their head to the breeze, allow long threads 

 of silk to pass from their spinnerets. When the parachute 

 is long enough and the wind begins to pull on it, the spiders 

 let go their hold of their support, and are borne on the 

 wings of the wind from one parish to another. If the 

 wind should fall, the spiders can ' spread more sail ' by 

 lengthening their silken threads. If the wind should rise, 

 the spider can ' furl their sails ' by winding in part of their 

 parachute. When tens of thousands of small spiders 

 migrate simultaneously some fine morning, there may 

 be, as they sink to earth, a shower of gossamer, covering 

 the fields for acres. In many cases we see and feel threads 

 of gossamer floating in the air without any attached spiders ; 

 these are usually broken-off parts of parachutes. They 

 recall to us the failures of the days before achievement. 



