I           A


I


252 ]


of 'em us'd in Plumes on Childrens Heads, and divers other
Works, much finer than any Hair; and which bend, and
wave like them With every Wind.
Nothing is more fimple and eafy than the Method of
making them: There are two Workmen employ'd: The
firdt holds one End of a Piece of Glafs over the Flame of
a Lamp; and when the Heat has foften'd it, a fecond
Workman applies a Glafs-hook to the Metal thus in Fufion;
and withdrawing the Hook again, it brings with it a
Thread of Glafs, which dill adheres to the Mafs.  Then,
fitting his Hook on the Circumference of a Wheel about 2
Feet and a half in Diameter, he turns the Wheel as fadi as
he pleafes; which drawing out the Threads, winds it on its
Rim; till after a certain Numbet of Revolutions it is cover'd
with a Skain of GlaA-Thread.
The Mafs in Fufion over the Lamp, diminilhes infenfibly,
being wound out, as it were, like a Pelotoon, or Clue upon
the Wheel ; and the Parts, as they recede from the Flame,
cooling, become more coherent with thofe next to 'em; and
this by Degrees : The Parts neared the Fire, are always
the lead connefted together, and of Confequence mufd give
Way to the Effort the red make to draw 'em towards the
Wheel.
The Contour of thefe Threads is ufually a flat Oval, be-
ing three or four times as broad as thick.  Some of 'em
fcarce feem bigger than the Thread of a Silk-Worm; and
are flexible to a Miracle. If the two Ends of fiuch Threads
be knotted together, they may be drawn and bent, till the
Aperture, or Space in the Middle of the Knot don't exceed
one 4th of a Line, or one 48th of an Inch in Diameter.
Hcnce, Mr. Reaunmrr advances, that as the Flexibility of
Glafs increafes in Proportion to the Finenefs of the Threads;
had we but the Art of drawing Threads as fine as thofe
of a Spider's Web, we might weave Stuffs, and Cloaths here-
of, for Wear.
Mr. Reaumur made Come Experiments this Way: He
could make Threads fine enough, as fine, in his Judgment, as
any Spider's web, but could never make 'em long enough, to
do any Thing with 'em.
The fame ingenious Author obferves, that the Matter where-
of Spiders and Silk-worms form theirThreads, is brittle, when
in the Mafs, like dry Gums.   As 'tis drawn out of their
Bodies, it affumes a Confidience, much as Glafs-threads be-
come hard, as they recede from the Lamp; tho' from a diffe-
rent Caufe. The Duftility of this Matter, and the Appara-
tus thereto being much more extraordinary in Spiders, than
in Silk-worms; we fhall here only confider the former.
Something has already been faid of each under the Article
SILK, which fee.
Near the Anus of the Spider are fix 'Papilhe, or Teats,
reprefented in 'ab. Nat. Hlory Fig. 6. The Extremities of
the feveralPapillce are furnifh'd with Holes, that do the Bufi-
nefs of Wiar-drawers, in forming the Threads. Of thefe Holes,
M. Reazimvr obferves, there are enough in the&ompafs of the
fmallefj Pins-head, to yield a prodigious Quantity of difdin&
Threads. The Holes are perceiv'd by their Effeds: Take
a large Garden-Spider ready to lay its Eggs, and applying
the Finger on a Part of its Papi/le, as you withdraw that
Finger, it will take with it an amazing Quantity of diffe-
rent Threads.
Monfr. Reaumir has often told 70, or So, with a Micro-
fcope, but has perceiv'd, that there were infinitely more
than he could tell. In effe&, if he fhould fay, that each Tip
of a Papilla furnifh'd a thoufand, he is perfuaded, he
1hould fay vaftly too little. The Part is divided into an In-
finity of little Prominences, like the Eyes of a Butter-fly, kic.
Each Prominence, no doubt, makes its feveral Thread i or
rather, between the feveral Protuberances, are Holes that
give Vent to Threads ;' the Ufe of the Protuberances, in all
probability, being to keep the Threads at their firfd Exit,
ere yet harden'd by the Air, a-part.  In Come Spiders
thefe Protuberances arenot Co fenfible; but in lieu thereof
there are Tufts of Hair, which may ferve the fame Office,
viz. to keep the Threads a-part.  Be this as it will, there
may Threads come out at above a thoufand different Places
in every Papilla; consequently, the Spider having fix 'Pa-
pilhs, has Holes for above 6000 Threads. 'Tis not enough,
that thefe Apertures are not only immenfely Cmall: The
Threads are already form'd 'ere they arrive at the Papilla,
each of 'em having its little Sheath, or Dua, in which it
is brought to the Papilla from a good Difdance.
Mon Cr. Reaumur traces'em up to their Source, and fhews
the Mechanifm by which they are made. Near the Origin
of the Belly, he finds two little foft Bodies, which are the
firfi Source of the Silk. Their Form and Tranfparency re-
femble thofe of Glafs-beads, (fee Fig.7.) by which Name
we ,hall hereafter denote them. The Tip of each Bead, as
R, goes winding, and makes an Infinity of Turns, and Re-
turns towards tie ;Papilla. From the Bafe, or Root of the
Bead, proceeds another Branch much thicker; which wind-
ing varioufly, forms feveral Knots, and takes its Courfe like


DUE


the other, towards the Hind-part of the S5id.        ' teo
Beads, and their Branches, is conotain'd a Matter  e t
form the Silk, only that it is too roft.  The Boyof th
bead is a Kind ofgRefervoir, and the two Branches two Ca-
nals proceeding from it.  A little further backward, thar
are two other lefer Beads, which only fend forth one Branch
a-piece, and that from the Tip. Befide thefe, there are three
other larger Veffeis on each Side the Spider, wich Mr. Reaw-
mnur takes for the lad Refervoir, where the Liquor is col-
le'ted. They are reprefented ( Fig. 8. ) The biggeit is near
the Head of the Infecf, and the lea* near the Anus. they all
terminate in a Point; and from the three Points of thefe three
Refervoirs it is, that the Threads, at lead the 'greatefi Part
of the Threads, drawn out at the three Papill, proceed.
Each Refervoir fupplies one Papilia.  aftly, at the Roots
of the Papille, are dilfcern'd feveral flelhy Tubes: probably,
as many as there are RPapilhf. Upon lifting up the Mem-
brane, or Pellicle, that feems to cover thefe Tubes, they ap-
pear full of Threads, all difdina from each other, and which,
of Confequence, under a common Cover, have each their par-
ticular One; being kept like Knives in Sheaths. The im-
menfe Quantity ofThreads contain'd here, Montr. Reau-
rur concludes, upon tracing their Courfe, do not all
come from the Points of the Refervoirs; but Come from
all the Turns, and Angles; nay probably, from every Part
thereof.  But by what Conveyances the Liquor comes into
the Beads, and out of the Beads into the Refervoits, remains
yet to be difcover'd.
We have already obferv'd, that the Tip of each Tapii'
may give Palfage to above a thoufand ihreads; yet thdy
Diameter of that Papilla does not exceed a fmall Pins-head:
But we were there only confidering the largedt Spiders.
If we examine the young, rifing Spiders, produced by
thofe; we fhall find, that they no Gooner quit their Egg, than
they begin to fpin. Indeed their Threads can fcarce be per-
ceiv'd; but their Webs, form'd thereof, may. They are fre-
quently as thick, and clofe, as thofe of Houfe-Spiders; And
no Wonder: there being often 4, or 500 little Spiders concur-
ing to the fame Work. How minute mud their Holes be ?
The Imagination can Ccarce conceive that -of their Papilla.
The whole Spider is perhaps lefs than a Papilla of that
whicfh produced it.
This is eafily Ceen: Each big Spider lays 4 or 500 Eggs;
thefe Eggs are all wrapp'd up in a Bag; and as foon as the
young Oines have broke through the Bag, they begin to fpin.
How fine muff their Threads be?
Yet is not this the utmoft Nature does: There are Come
Kinds of Spiders Co fmall at their Birth, that they are not
vifible without a Microfcope.  There are ufually found an
Infinity of 'em in a Cluflerj and they only appear like a Num-
ber of red Points.  And yet there are.Webs found under
them, tho' well nigh imperceptible. What mu{} be the Te-
nuity of one of thefe Threads? The fmalleft Hair mudt be
to one of thefe what the mold maffive Bar is to the fined
Gold-wiar above mentioned.
The Matter whereof the Threads are form'd, we have ob-
ferved, is a vifcid Matter.  The Beads are the firfd Recep-
tacles where it is gather'd, and the Place where it has the lead
Confidence.  'Tis much harder when got into the fix great
Refervoirs, whither 'tis carried by Canals from the former
This Confidence it acquires in good Meafure in its Paffage;
Part oi the Humidity being diffipated in the Way; or Ce-
parated by Parts deftined for that Purpofe.
Lafily, the Liquor is dried dill further, and becomes
Thread, in its Progrefs through the refipecive Canals to the
Papiie. When thefe firn appear out at the Holes,; they are
dtill glutinous; Co that fuch as fpring out of neighbouring
Holes, lick together. The Air compleats the drying.
By boiling the Spider, more, or lefs, the Liquor is brought
to a greater or lefs Confidence, fit to draw out into Threads,
for 'tis too fluid for that Purpofe, while yet inclofed in itsRe-
fervoirs.
The Matter contain'd in thefe Refervoirs, when well dried,
appears a tranfparent Gum, or Glue, which breaks when much
bent: Like Glafs, it only becomes flexible by being divided
into the fineft Threads. And probably 'twas on this Account
Nature made the Number of Holes Co immenfe. The Mat-
ter of the Silk form'd in the Bodies of Spiders being much
brittler than that form'd in Silk-worms, needed to be wound
fmaller. Otherwife we don't conceive, why {he fhould form
a great Number of Threads, which were afterwards to be re-
united: a fingle Canal might have done. See DivisiBi-
LI TY.
DUEL, a fingle Combat, at a Time and Place appointed,
in Confequence of a Cartel, or Challenge. See CH ALLEN G E, .5
IDuels were anciently allowed by common Law, in Cafes
where Proof could not be had. In which Senfe Fieta de-
fines Duel, Sianguaris PPugna inter duos ad probandam
Veritatem Litis, f  qui vicit, probafe ieteligitur. Stat.
de Finib. Levat. 27. Ed. I. See COMBAT.
'This