Page:The history of silk, cotton, linen, wool, and other fibrous substances 2.djvu/23

silk-worms of India—Mode of hatching, &c.—(Observations on the cultivation
of silk by Dr. Stebbins—Dr. Bowring's admirable illustration of the mutual dependence
of the arts upon each other.) 119

CHAPTER IX.

THE SPIDER.

ATTEMPTS TO PROCURE SILKEN FILAMENTS FROM SPIDERS.

Structures of spiders—Spiders not properly insects, and why—Apparatus for spinning—Extraordinary
number of spinnerules—Great number of filaments composing
one thread—Reaumur and Leeuwenhoeck's laughable estimates—Attachment
of the thread against a wall or stick—Shooting of the lines of spiders—1.
Opinions of Redi, Swammerdam, and Kirby—2. Lister, Kirby, and White—3.
La Pluche and Bingley—4. D'Isjonval, Murray, and Bowman—5.—Experiments
of Mr. Blackwall—His account of the ascent of gossamer—6. Experiments
by Rennie—Thread supposed to go off double—Subsequent experiments—Nests,
Webs, and Nets of Spiders—Elastic satin nest of a spider—Evelyn's
account of hunting spiders—Labyrinthic spider's nest—Erroneous account
of the House Spider—Geometric Spiders—attempts to procure silken filaments
from Spiders' bags—Experiments of M. Bon—Silken material—Manner of its
preparations—M. Bon's enthusiasm—His spider establishment—Spider-silk not
poisonous—Its usefulness in healing wounds—Investigation of M. Bon's establishment
by M. Reaumur—His objections—Swift's satire against speculators
and projectors—Ewbank's interesting observations on the ingenuity of spiders—Mason-spiders—Ingenious
door with a hinge—Nest from the West Indies with
spring hinge—Raft-building Spider—Diving Water-Spider—Rev. Mr. Kirby's
beautiful description of it—Observations of M. Clerck—Cleanliness of Spiders—Structure
of their claws—Fanciful account of them patting their webs—Proceedings
of a spider in a steamboat—Addison—His suggestions on the compilation
of a "History of Insects" 138

CHAPTER X.

FIBRES OR SILKEN MATERIAL OF THE PINNA.

The Pinna—Description of—Delicacy of its threads—Reaumur's observations—Mode
of forming the filament or thread—Power of continually producing new
threads—Experiments to ascertain this fact—The Pinna and its Cancer
Friend—Nature of their alliance—Beautiful phenomenon—Aristotle and Pliny's
account—The Greek poet Oppianus's lines on the Pinna, and its Cancer friend—Manner
of procuring the Pinna—Poli's description—Specimens of the Pinna
in the British Museum—Pearls found in the Pinna—Pliny and Athenæus's account—Manner
of preparing the fibres of the Pinna for weaving—Scarceness
of this material—No proof that the ancients were acquainted with the art
of knitting—Tertullian the first ancient writer who makes mention of the
manufacture of cloth from the fibres of the Pinna—Procopius mentions a