but not all spider webs, and were these present, there would be little doubt of their true nature. However, when I uncapped the jar later in my office, no trace of the web material could be found. "This phenomenon is to me still unexplained, and I have seen nothing comparable to it before or since. I will mention by way of information that I have always been interested in the biology of spiders and their webs, particularly the giant orb- weaver Nephilia, whose bright golden web is a fairly common sight through the Everglades. Strong enough to support small pebbles, this web has actually been woven into cloth by natives of the tropics. "From the foregoing, I would say that it is possible that the strands we saw were something other than spider web, and I have no explanation for the apparent disappearance of the collected material in the mason jar." /s/ Craig Phillips U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior; 11-5-63 The reported dissipation of the angel's hair in this case is commonly reported. Some analysts who do not think all angel's hair is cobwebs use this feature to differentiate "true" angel's hair from spider webs. If this assumption is correct, angel's hair unfortunately becomes a will-of-the-wisp which disappears before it can be analyzed properly, and therefore it does not constitute good physical evidence. Biologists who have examined angel's hair which has subsequently dissipated have been unable to account for it in terms of spiders. The substances which have not dissipated so far show no particular pattern, and may be attributed to many different phenomena. The following chart includes all reported cases of falls of gossamer-like material which have been compiled by NICAP for specific dates. Angel Hair & Gossamer Falls Chart from pages 100-101 Date & Location
UFO Reported
Dissipation
Spiders
Remarks & Notes
9-21-1741; Bradly, England
Strands 5-6 inches long "fell with some velocity" for hours in great quantity .[from Charles Fort]
9-20-1892; Gainesville, Florida
Vast quantity "like great white sheets," some "50 yards or more in length. "[Proceedings Entomological Society of Washington, D.C., Vol II (1892) ppg. 385-388]
11-21-1898; Montgomery, Alabama
Strands several inches long fell in batches; reportedly phosphorescent. [from Charles Fort]
11-10-49; Depues Ferry, Pennsylvania
X
["Inside Saucer Post ... 3-0 Blue," Stringfield, p. 49]
10-11-50; Butte County, California
X
Sample analyzed by Dr. Willis J. Gertsch, Museum of Natural History; identified as gossamer.[ Natural History, January 1951]
10-11-50; Paradise. California
X
X
Partial dissipation reported, leaving "tough white threads-resembling a spider web, but of much tougher consistency." [Chico Enterprise-Record, October 12, 1950]
10-17-52; Oloron, France
X
X
Fibers burned like cellophane when ignited. ["The Truth about Flying Saucers," Michel, ppg. 146-7]
10-27-52; Gaillac, France
X
X
[ibid., p. 148]
4-15-53; Auckland, New Zealand 5-30-53; Christchurch, New Zealand 10-9-53; Melbourne, Australia
X X
["Challenge of UFOs," Maney & Hall, p. 59] [ibid., p. 59]
X
[ibid., p. 59]