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91 ANNUAL REGISTER For the YEAR 1772. 93

which transpire from its body, and prevent the immediate contact of the water:  this bubble of air is made the substance of its dwelling, which it constructs under water; for it fixes several threads of silk or such fine matter, to the stalks of plants in the water, and then ascending to the surface thrust the hinder part of its body above water drawing it back again with such rapidity that it attaches underneath a bubble of air, which it has the art of detaining under water, by placing it underneath the threads abovementioned, and which it binds like a covering almost all round the air bubble.  Then it ascends again for another air bubble, and thus proceeds until it has constructed a large aerial apartment under water, into which it enters or quits at pleasure.  The male constructs for himself one near to the female, and when love invites, he breaks through the thread walls to the female's dwelling, and the two bubbles attached to the bellies of both unite into one, forming one larger nuptial chamber.  The female is sometimes laid for a whole day together stretched on her back, waiting for the arrival of the male, without motion, and seemingly as if dead.  As soon as he enters and glides over her, she seems to be brought to life again, gets on her legs and runs after the male, who makes his escape with all possible speed: the female takes care of the young, and constructs similar apartments on purpose for them.  The figure of this spider has nothing remarkable, and would be overlooked among a crowd of curiosities, if the spectator be unacquainted with its singular art of constructing an aerial habitation under water, and thus uniting together the properties of both elements.

Of the Bombardier; from the fame.

This is a species of those insects called Buprestis, that, is whose wings are inclosed i a kind of case, to cover and wrap them up.  It keeps itself concealed among the stones, and seems to make little use of its wings; when it moves it is by a sort of jump, and whenever it is touched, one is surprised to hear a noise resembling the discharge of a musquet in miniature, during which a blue smoke may be seen to proceed from its anus.  This insect may at any time be made to play off its little artillery by scratching its back with a needle.  If we may believe Rolander who first made these observations, it can give twenty discharges successively.  A bladder paced near the anus is the arsenal whence it derives its store, and this is its chief defence against an enemy, although the smoke emitted seems to be altogether inoffensive, excepting it be by causing a fright, or concealing its course.  Its chief enemy is a great Carabus, (another species of the Buprestis): when pursued and fatigued, it has recourse to this stratagem, by lying down in the path of the Carabus, which advances with open mouth and claws to seize it; but on the discharge of this artillery, suddenly draws back and remains a while confused; during which the Bombardier conceals himself in some neighbouring crevice, and if not happy enough to find one, the Carabus returns to the attack, takes the insect by the head, and tears it off.

Of

Of the Sea-Bear; from the Same.

This animal displays some singularities in instinct; it is amphibious, and although it is often collected into companies of some thousands, yet they remain separated into distinct families, consisting of about one hundred each.  Each male has a seraglio to himself, containing from fifteen to fifty females, which he possesses as his own property.  If any rival dares to dispute his right to any female, a battle ensues; during which the sultanas remain peaceable spectators, and then follow the conqueror, licking him in an amorous way.  These battles will often last an hour, and many stratagems may be observed to be practised by the combatants; when they are both fatigued, they will lie down by common consent to take breath, and then renew the engagement; untill perhaps at last the other males, who as first were only spectators, will interfere and separate the combatants.  The females have an extraordinary degree of tenderness for their young, never suffering them to quit company, but to continue along with the family on the banks of the sea; where they imitate their parents, and the young males exercise themselves in combats with each other.  When one of them succeeds, so as to throw the other down upon his back, the male parent comes and caresses the conqueror, licking him lightly, for their tongues are very rough; he will oblige him often to lie down to rest, and if the son disobeys, the father seems to love him the better, and to felicitate himself in having a successor so worthy of him: the parent testifies much less kindness for the conquered, and those which are readily obedient; the latter accompany the females only, while the former are companions of the father, who educates and exercises them in the art of fighting.

Account of the Fasting Woman of Rossshire, from the Tour into Scotland, by Thomas Pennant Esq;

KAtherine M'Leod, daughter to Donald M'Leod, farmer in Croig, in the parish of Kincardine, Rossshire, a single woman, aged about thirty-five years, sixteen years ago contracted a fever, after which she became blind.  Her father carried her to several physicians and surgeons to cure her blindness.  Their prescriptions proved of no effect.  He carried here also to a lady skilled in physic in the neighbourhood, who, doubtful whether her blindness was occasioned by the weakness of her eye-lids, or a defect in her eyes, found by the use of some medicines, that the blindness was occasioned by a weakness in her eye-lids, which being strengthened she recovered her sight in some measure, and discharged as usual every kind of work about her father's farm, but tyed a garter tight round her forehead to keep up her eye-lids.  In this condition she continued for four or five years, enjoying a good state of health, and working as usual.  She contracted another lingering fever, of which she never recovered perfectly.

Some time after her fever her jaws fell, her eye-lids closed and the 

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