THE GOSSAMER SPIDER. 595 
After laying the radiating lines, it goes down to the centre, 
and carefully measuring with its right hind leg, seizes with its 
foot one of the lines, and drawing it down forcibly, until it touches 
the web vent; it adheres and is instantly let go. In its recoil, 
there is seen to be drawn out a milk like substance; this lessens 
into a very fine web which instantly dries. It then moves onwards 
to the next line and with the same hind foot seizes it at the 
proper measurement, draws it down as before until it touches 
the web fount, lets it recoil and spin out the gossamer web; and 
so on, from line to line, measuring the meshes exactly the same 
distance moving to the left; the circular line is put on spirally. 
The gossamer spider will weigh near two grains; it is well 
formed, of a grayish pea green, the legs rather long. Quick in its 
movements, but a little timid ; it will drop its work and run on the 
approach of a stranger. One species of mud dauber destroys mul- 
titudes of the gossamer spiders. 
When, in the last days of November there comes a clear day, 
temperature 60° Fah. wind gently from the south; at about one 
o'clock, P. m., and afterwards during the succeeding three hours, 
may be seen, in this latitude at various heights and distance, very 
many white locks of gossamer floating smoothly in the air, all 
going with the wind. These are the balloons of the gossamer 
spider. And there is a mother and half a dozen or more young 
spiders aboard of every one of them. 
Each balloon is furnished with two long lines at the forward end, 
which may be seen, waving and flapping in the wind as they fly, 
and seeming to aid in preserving the equable position of the light 
floating craft. 
Towards four o’clock, pP. m., the spectator will observe that the 
balloons are beginning to descend; and at the same time he will 
see great numbers of long glittering webs, detached and floating 
at random all rising higher as they go on with the wind. 
Meanwhile the balloons with their freight are whirling, not very 
rapidly downwards, until they strike some tall weed or grass, 
when they become entangled, and the passengers instantly leap 
out, and spinning out a web swing themselves down to the ground. 
If the observer is near enough when the balloon strikes he can 
See all this. 
Thave noticed these balloons, when the wind was brisk passing 
Very rapidly, at an altitude of one or two thousand feet. There 
