Most daring of all, perhaps, are the aerial journeys undertaken by many small spiders. On a breezy morning, especially in the autumn, they mount on gate-posts and palings and herbage, and, standing with their head to the wind, pay out three or four long threads of silk. When the wind tugs at these threads, the spinners let go, and are borne, usually back downwards, on the wings of the wind from one parish to another. It is said that if the wind falls they can unfurl more sail, or furl if it rises. In any case, these wingless creatures make aerial journeys. When tens of thousands of the used threads sink to earth, there is a "shower of gossamer." On his _Beagle_ voyage Darwin observed that vast numbers of small gossamer spiders were borne on to the ship when it was sixty miles distant from the land. [Illustration: THE AUSTRALIAN FRILLED LIZARD, WHICH IS AT PRESENT TRYING TO BECOME A BIPED When it gets up on its hind-legs and runs for a short distance it folds its big collar round its neck.] [Illustration: A CARPET OF GOSSAMER The silken threads used by thousands of gossamer spiders in their migrations are here seen entangled in the grass, forming what is called a shower of gossamer. At the edge of the grass the gossamer forms a curtain, floating out and looking extraordinarily like waves breaking on a seashore.] [Illustration: THE WATER-SPIDER The spider is seen just leaving its diving-bell to ascend to the surface to capture air. The spider jerks its body and legs out at the surface and then dives-- --carrying with it what looks like a silvery air-bubble--air entangled in the hair. The spider reaches its air-dome. Note how the touch of its legs indents the inflated balloon. Running down the side of the nest, the spider --brushes off the air at the entrance, and the bubble ascends into the silken balloon. _Photos: J. J. Ward, F.E.S._] New Devices