Dr. Lifter to Mr. Ray. 87 



I will fubjoin the Experiment I promifed you of 

 the gilding of a Chryfalis. To a ftrong and clear 

 Deco&ion of Nettles put a fmall Piece of a black 

 Gall y in time there will emerge a thin Scum 3 if you 

 then pafs the Liquor through a Cap-paper, the Scum 

 left behind will exquifitely gild it. The like I have 

 eifefted by other Methods, and with other Plants : 

 If the Experiment be well done, it will in all Points 

 look like the gilding of the ftiff-hair'd, or prickly- 

 nettle-feeding Caterpillar's Chryfalis. 



I have not yet feen Redis's Book, neither can I get 

 it, tho' I much defire it. It is true, that Spiders, 

 especially the young ones, are not very fhy to fhoot 

 their Threads, even in ones Hands and different 

 Kinds have many different Particularities in this fur- 

 prizing A&ion. As to the Height they are able to 

 mount, it is much beyond that of Trees, or even the 

 higheft Steeples in England. This laft October? the 

 Sky here upon a Day was very calm and ferene, and 

 I took Notice that the Air was very full of Webs: 

 I forthwith mounted to the Top of the higheft Stee- 

 ple in the Minfter, and could thence difcern them 

 yet exceeding high above me: Some that fell, and 

 were entangled upon the Pinnacles, I took, and found 

 them to be Lup > which Kind feldom or never enter 

 Houfes, and cannot be fuppofed to have taken their 

 Flight from the Steeples. 



To tell you the Truth, I began to be at a great 

 Lofs, when I found that my Experiments concerning 

 the Bleeding of the Sycamore did not fucceed this 

 Year as they did the lalt > for I affure you, that to this 

 Day the two Trees 1 wounded the firft of November 

 have not ftiewn the leaft Signs of the ftirring of any 

 Juice 5 whereas the Notiinghamjhire Trees had feve- 

 ral times bled e'rethus late. 



You will be pleafed to remember me with a Book 

 of Proverbs, for I long to perufe it, 



Tork r Jan. 20, 1670, 



Dr. 



