Natural history -- England -- Wiltshire; Wiltshire (England) -- Description and travel
Towards the latter part of September the geometrical spiders become
conspicuous, spinning their webs on every bush. Some of these attain an
enormous size, and, being so large, it is easier to watch their mode of
procedure. When a fly becomes entangled, the spider seizes it by the
poll, at the back of the head, and holds it for a short time till it
dies. Then he rapidly puts a small quantity of web round it; and next
carries it to the centre of the web. There, taking the dead fly on his
feet--much as a juggler plays with a ball upon his toes--the spider
rolls it round and round, enveloping it in a cocoon of web, and finally
hangs up his game head uppermost, and resumes his own position head
downwards. Another spider wraps his prey in a cocoon by spinning
himself and the fly together round and round. At the end of September
or beginning of October acres of furze may be seen covered with web in
the morning, when the dew deposited upon it renders it visible. As the
sun dries up the dew the web is no longer seen.
On September 21 of last year the rooks were soaring and diving; they
continued to do this several days in succession. I should like to say
again that I attach no importance to these dates, but give them for
illustration: these, too, were taken in a warm district. Rooks usually
soar a good deal about the time of the equinox. On September 29 the
heaths and furze were white with the spiders' webs alluded to above.
September 27, larks singing joyously. October 2, a few grasshoppers
still calling in the grass--heard one or two three or four days later.
October 4, the ivy in full flower. October 7, the thrushes singing
again in the morning. October 6 and 7, pheasants roaming in the hedges
for acorns. October 13, a dragon-fly--large and green--hawking to and
fro on the sunny side of hedge. October 15, the first redwing. During
latter part of September and beginning of October, frogs croaking in the
ivy.
Now, these dates would vary greatly in different localities, but they
show, clearer than a mere assertion, that about that time there is a
movement in nature. The croaking of frogs, the singing of larks and
thrushes, are distinctly suggestive of spring (the weather, too, was
warm and showery, with intervals of bright sunshine); the grasshopper
and dragon-fly were characteristic of summer, and there were a few
swallows still flying about; the pheasants and the acorns, and the
puff-balls, full of minute powder rising in clouds if struck, spoke of
autumn; and, finally, the first redwing indicated winter: so that all
the seasons were represented together in about the space of a fortnight.
I do not know any other period of the year which exhibits so remarkable
an assemblage of the representative features of the four quarters: an
artist might design an emblematic study upon it, say for a tesselated
pavement.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account