The times., 1898-10-02
ANIMAL AERoNAUTS.
Gnats and Spiders That Make Bal
loon Ascensions.
(From Our Animal Friends.)

tfTom OuT AilltHdi EIlti-Ae-J
The hot sun OF a California day had
broken through a rift in the fog, Hum
ining the sides of a deep canyon which
wound away like a river into the high
Sierras. II CHANGED to throw flood of
light into a small lateral canyon, and
stroller, who was descending the bank by
a little trail stopped 10 watch a Verita-
BILE dance of the gnats. In mid-air, rising
and falling as though resting on the sun
beams, was a cloud of these insects. their
forms brought out distinctly in the brill
liant sunburst, dancing to some mystic
measure now spreading out in long at
tenuated lines, 10 collect again in a nebu-
lous cloud, and rise and fall in gentle un-
duiations. The ocean wind dissipated the
cloud OF gnats, and the silent observer
saw them settle on the balloon-like seed
floats OF a bunch of thistles. Sudden
puffs OF wind coming up the canyon lifted
the miniature balloons in air, and away
they scared the gnats clinging to them in
some instances, In others taking wing on
their own account IN what was perhaps
their first balloon trip.
High in air another aeronaut had
launched itself-the California condor.
Not a wing or feather moved but resting
on the wind, like a kite, the great bird,
almost II not quite equal to its Andean
cousin, scared in great circles. ever lifted
by the wind. and rising higher and higher
into the empyrean. Not motion Of the
wing could be seen with careful scrutiny
through the glass, but every time the
bird turned and faced the wind it seemed
to bound upward, as though lifted by
some superhuman power.
The ordinary California buZzard, and
the singular ravens of Santa Catalina ISL
and. often give marvellous exhibitions of
soaring or rising into the air without
moving their wings, and when 1t Is re-
membered that their bodies are reduced to
minimum OF weight, and that even the
bones are filed with air. it is almost
scientifically and literally true that they
are living balloons. AS the stroller
crouched low in the shadow OF a wild
lilac. he saw against the dark green bank
OF the opposite canon a cobweb afioat
then another. drifting down the aerial
channel on the wind Others followed-a
procession of webs was passing; some
were long and formed of a single thread
of silk others had a delicate mass of ia
brio attached. Presently one of them
came so near that he put out his hand
and caught ii.
Ii was perfect balloon and the aero
naut-a small spider-sat complacently on
its basket a fluffy mass of web half an
inch in length, light as feather, and
supported by a long thread which reached
away. undulating and curving upward.
Scores Of these aeronauts passed by
drifting up the little canyon, borne aIoft
by the upward current of air. The stroll
ler noticed a number of spiders on the
leaves and branches in singular attitudes
and then IL occurred to him that here was
a spider migration, and that instead of
walking or crawling away the insects
were going like Andree, by balloon.
More on the leaves of the wild lilac were
preparing for the journey across the
chasm, forming, building and launching
their balloons. spider that had been
actively climbing up a branch OF a neigh
boring oak now stood on an outer leaf
and prepared 10 make its balloon. II had
a wonderful arrangement OF spinnerets in
which the balloon-making material.
which is also employed TO construct nests
and traps, Is stored.
Some of the spiders have an additional
spinning organ and a comb-like implement
upon the hind legs. by which they comb
out the silk, making a tangle of fine webs,
Thus they are well prepared to make ca
bles for balloons. guy ropes, net, and, by
the aid Of the comb, a fluffy platform
web.
Some of the spiders made little plat
forms of fluffy web as they went; others
merely clung to the thread; but in one
way or the other scores of them crossed
the canons and Travelled through the air;
aeronauts in all the name implies.