The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-09-13
How Birds FL


Lot NIchnldH Ier SeptN1ef--
You will find, if you .arefully ex-
anime a birds wing, thatlll the bones
and muscles are placed on lie front edge.
which is thus made very stf and strong.
The quill feathers are faaned in such
a way that they point BACKWARD 50 that
the hind edge of the wings not stiff like
the front edge, but is flexible and bends
At the least touch. As the air is not
solid, but a gas, it has 4 tendency to
slide out from under the ring when this
Is driven downward, and. OF course, II
will do this at point where it can es-
cape most easily. Since the front edge
of the wing is stiff and strong, it retains
its hollow shape, and prevents the air
from sliding out in this direction, but
the pressure of the air isenough to bend
up the thin, flexible ends of the feath-
ers at the hinder border of the wing, so
the air makes its escape here, and slides
out backward and upwad The weight
of the bird is all the ime pulling 1t
down toward the earth; 50, at the same
time that the air slides mt upward and
backward past the bet edge of the
wing, the wing itself aud with 1t the
bird, slides forward and downward of
from the confined air. [ is really Its
own weight which causes to do this, so
that the statement that bird flies by
its own weight is strictly tue.
This is true, also Of insects and bats.
They all have wings with stiff front
edges, and flexible hind ,dges which
bend and allow the air to lass out, SO
that flying Is nothing but siding down
a hill made of air \ bird Tses by flap
ping its wings, and 1t flies by falling
back toward the earth and siding for
ward at the same time. At the end OF
each stroke of its wings it has raised
Itself enough TO make up for the distanc0
IT has fallen since the last STROKE sIgs
accordingly it stays at the same heigh
and moves forward in a seemingly
straight line. But if you watch tn
fight of those birds which flap thei
wings slowly, such as the woodpecker
YOU can see them rise and fall, and vii
have no trouble in seeing that their patti
Is not really a straight line, but is mad,
up Of curves; although most birds hal
their wings 50 rapidly that they have M
time to fall through a space great enough
to be seen. Birds also make use of tn.
wind to aid them in fight, and by hold.
ing their wings indined like a kite, q,
that the wind shall slide cut under them
they can sail great distances without
tapping their wings at all. They are
supported, as a paper kite is, by the
wind, which is continually pushing
against their wing, md sliding out
backward and downwad, thus lifting or
holding up the bird, aid as the same
time driving it forward
The birds are not compelled to face
the wind while they ar sailing, but by
changing the position the wings lit
tie they can go in whrever direction
/ they wish, much as Exchanges mis- di-
rection in skating by lening a little to
one side or the other. ome birds are
very skillful at this kinlof sailing, and
can even remain statidary in the air
/ for some minutes when aere is a strong
wind; and they do this Nthout tapping
/ their wings at all. 1t Isl difficult thing
/ to do, and no birds esept the most
skillful flyers can maSge it. Some
/ hawks can do it, and nils and terms
may often be seen practing it when a
/ gale of wind is blowing.nd they seem
to take great delight inner power of
/ flight