The Portland daily press., 1874-03-21
Recent Publications.

ANIMAL LocoMor1oNr BY j. Bell Pettgrew NJ. d.
d. Appleton & Co. For sale by Bailey s. Noyes.
Although called work on sAnimal Loco
notion" this exhaustive treatise should have
been styled the "Theory of Artificial Flight"
for its whole aim is to prove, that artificial
fight is possible, without doubt. The ar
guments brought to sustain this, idea, are,
that flight is a natural movement; walking
and swimming also natural movements, have
been overcome by man, as exemplified in the
locomotive on land, and the steamship on
the water; hence it stands to reason, that fly
ing will some day be overcome by some artifi-
cial contrivance of man. The intro iucton,
lays down the views of the author which
claim that walking, swimming, and flying are
merely notifications of one and the same
movement, depending on the element, on or
in which they occur. This is proved in that
most quadrupeds swim, as well as walk, and
even fly, while many marine animals walk,
swim, and fly, indiscriminately. All terres-
trial animals move in figure of 8. That is
to say, in bipeds, in walking, one foot and
the opposite hand, swing together so as to form
the lower half of the figure 8, while the other
foot and opposite hand complete the figure.
In quadrupeds the same figure is formed by
the movement of alternate fore and hind feet
Now in the case of fishes. the tail makes a
movement one way, the head an associated
movement contrarily, and on the other beat
of the tail, the head finishes the same imagi-
mary movement, in the shape of the figure 8.
Finally, in all birds, the wings in their vibra-
tions make in the air, the same fgurative
movement, The three followins sections are
devoted to very detailed description of these
movements on land, and in the water and
air, with most stress laid on the latter mo-
ton.
As regards artificial flight, DR.. Pettigrew
opposes with all his vigor, the use of the bal
loon, which he says has retarded the discov-
cry of a more natural means. He claims as
its greatest objection, that it is not analogous
to nature, because it is lighter tnan air, while
all flying creatures are heavier. All the bal
loon is capable of, is to rise and fall perpen-
dicularly in a calm, and to go with the wind,
whichever way it blows. Hence it is unnatur
al flight. After showing off the absurdities of
all other machines for flying, the DR.. instead
of giving us an illustration of his own, con.
soles us with the illusory promise, that some
day there will be one discovered. but no dis
cOverer is named, or date given.
In comparison with the previous work of
this series, s.The Conservation of Energy by
Balfour Stewart, the work before us offers
many depreciative contrasts, as to style ex-.
amples and argument. The former was terse,
simple and forcihle, this is diffuse, complex
and weak land yet it may serve to while away
leisure hour or so in looking over the pic
lures, which are the greatest attraction OF the
book, and show very clearly how far we poor
mortal men are behind the examples of ma
ture.
LINCOLN AND SEWARD by Gideon welles, New
York; Sheldon & Co. For sale by Loring, Short
and Harmon.
This is work by the late secretary Of the
navy; brought out by the opinions in regard to
the relative merits of Lincoln and Seward as
expressed in the "Memorial Address" on
Seward by Charles Francis Adams. 1t Is
defence of Lincoln, of his policy, and of his
general views on various questions in oppo-
sition to Seward. As it is work OF contro-
versy we are not to judge it by its literary
merits. Mr.. Wells possessed an advantage
which Mr. Adams did not have, viz: an
almost daily intercourse with Seward and
Lincoln. And as the official intercourse be-
tween the Secretary of State and the Secre-
tary of the navy was probably more frequent
than between any other two departments
during the war, better means of contrast
ing the influence of each upon some Of the
most important events of that exciting
period. A sufficient time has not elapsed In
which to pass judgment upon the positions OF
two such eminent men without pre)udice;
vet sucb hook as this Is a valuable aid to a