(8/6.

The flies which frequently accompany a ship for some days on its passage from harbour to harbour, wandering from the vessel, are soon lost, and all disappear.) On several occasions, when the "Beagle" has been within the mouth of the Plata, the rigging has been coated with the web of the Gossamer Spider.

One day (November 1st, 1832) I paid particular attention to this subject.

The weather had been fine and clear, and in the morning the air was full of patches of the flocculent web, as on an autumnal day in England.

The ship was sixty miles distant from the land, in the direction of a steady though light breeze.
Vast numbers of a small spider, about one-tenth of an inch in length, and of a dusky red colour, were attached to the webs.