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(o be put upon the Diftaff. Thefe Spiders Bags (if I 
may fo call them) are of a Grey Colour when they are 
new, but turn blackifh when they have been long ex- 
pofed to the Air. It is true, one may find feveral o- 
ther Spiders Bags of different Colours, and that afford a 
better Silk, efpecially thofe of the Tarantula ; but the 
fcarcity of them would render it very difficult to make 
Experiments upon them 3 fo that we muft confine our* 
felves to the Bags of fuch Spiders as ^re mod common, 
which are the fhort Leg’d ones. Thefe always find out 
fome Place, fecure from the Wind and Rain, to make 
their Bags in 5 as hollow Trees, the Corners of Win- 
dows or Vaults, or under the Eaves of Houfes- And by 
getting together a great many of thefe Bags, it was 
that I made this new Silk, which is no ways inferior 
in Beauty to common Silk, It eafily takes all forts of 
Colours j and one may as well make large pieces of 
it, as the Stockings and Gloves which I here prefent 
you. I (hall next proceed to (how the manner how l 
prepared the Bags, to make the Silk that is now before 
You. 
After I had got together 12 or 15 Onnces of thefe 
Spiders Bags, I beat them well for (ome time with the 
Hand and a fmall Stick, to free them from Duft. Then 
I wafhed them in warm Water, ’till the Water that 
came from them was clear. After this, 1 let them deep 
in a large Pot, with Soap, Saltpetre, and fome pieces 
of GunvArabick 5 and let the^whole boy Is 2 or $ hours 
over a gentle Fire. Then I wafhed them again with 
warm Water, to free them from the Soap : And having 
let them dry for fome Days, I loofen’d them a little 
between the Fingers, that they might be more eafily 
carded by the common Silk Carders, excepting that I 
caufed them to ufe much finer Cards. By this means 
I had a Silk of a very particular Afh-colour, which is 
eafy to be fpun, and (as you here fee) affords a Thread, 
