[ 28 4 ] 
As the worms, neither while they were working 
it, nor afterwards, made any ufe of the web thus 
left on the bark of the trees., I take it for granted, 
they wrought for no other purpofe than to rid 
themfelves of that glutinous mafs, out of which it 
was fpun, and which, nature producing it that fea- 
fon in greater abundance than was necefiary for the 
wrapping and (lowing the worm in its Nympha 
(late, prompted the creature to work off the redun? 
dancy the bed way it could. The method it made 
ufe of for this purpofe was very well judged. It 
fallen d its thread to fome little eminence on the 
bark; and chufing, for the greater convenience of 
crawling, that even furface, kept continually in a 
brisk motion, till the troublefome fuperfluity of its 
burthen was difeharged. I can but guefs at its rca- 
fon tor removing from its own native tree, to (pin 
abroad upon the neighbouring ones. Perhaps it 
found the web too bright for its eyes, or the threads, 
already layed, might have (luck to its feet; for your 
Lordfhip may obferve that the web is very apt to 
(lick to the fingers, when it is touched. 
About the beginning of June the worms retired 
to reft. Their manner of preparing for, and exe- 
cuting this, was very ingenious and curious. Some 
of them chofe the under (ides of the branches, juft 
where they fpring from the trunk, that they might 
be the better defended from the water, which in a 
(hower, flowing down the bark of the tree, is parted 
by the branches, and fent off on each fide. 
Here they drew their threads acrofs the angle, 
made by the trunk and branch, and crofting thofe 
again with other threads in a great variety of di- 
rections 
2 
