Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-09-02

friQate birds Cor man-of-war- birds), var
ious cranes, among which are found the
sandhill cranes, gapnets, eagles, pelicans,
Rulls, herons, and others of less import
ance. The buzzards would habitually
rest in the sea breeze along the inner or
bay coasts, between 80 and so feet above
the water, facing the wind, for hours at a
time on motionless wings. They were
birds of four to six pounds weight, with
an equal number of square feet of wing
surface. / watched a score of them on
F----.e occasion for IA consecutive hours,
during which time not dozen flaps were /
made for each bird. The frigate /
bird had greater power or trnifslnt-
ing than any others ON the coast
Their movements were simply /
marvellous, as though they were endowed |
with powers of magic. l have seen them
move ON fixed wings against south
eastern tempest of wind, certainly of not |
less than so miles an hour, with velocity /
which judged to be equal to that Of the |
wind itself. A closer stand of observation l
being desirable, recourse was had to the i
arts of mimicry, and, procuring sheet /
Of light cotton fabric, sufficiently large TO |
entirely envelope any person, il was |
painted a mixture OF green and brown |
shades to resemble the top OF pine tree
This Disgusting dress proved to be an adj |
mirable device, and it was used on many
occasions in various localities on the
coast in the vicinity of the roosting and
breeding places of the BIRDS
So much for premise. Nov come Prof
Lancaster's wonderful experiments. He
says
''It bird can float indefinitely in caln
air without using muscular exertion,
4
as board, then board or metal body of
the right shape and position ought to be
able to do the same thing. In construe-
ton it must preserve the essential fea-
lures of the birds wing. It must have
the under surface rough to motion from
rear to front, and smooth from front to
rear. II must have the front ledge on
the under side. II must have the elastic
feather tips, and be longer than it is
wide, and, if it closely initiates the birdR,
il must have from one to three pounds
weight for each square foot of surface. /
constructed floating planes which, for
lack of better name, | have termed
oihgles. They would draw into the
hreeze from the hnnd and STIMULATE the
soaring birds perfectly moving On hori.
AJAhli lines OF on auy inGli.nt,5u @
vertical. They would float in the best
winds, with neither ledge, rough front
surface, nor rear curve, if very nicely
adjusted, but one Of this construction |
never induced TO pass beyond the limits
of vision, as the equilibrium was so very
delicate that little inequality in the
wind current would cRpsiae it. With the
addition Of u serrated front surface md
ledge they would float iii any reasonably
steady breeze. BY using pendant Of
Ana oh ,.sAt
80 constructed that the shot would fall in
few seconds from the upper to the
lower bag, inclining the plane MS il did
SO, continuous motion in calm air can be
obtained. I have hoated the planes from
the lanthorn of EgnOnt light house, 1850
feet high, and they might he still floating
provided that no storm had been enco,n-
tered by them.
But the interesting device illustrative
of the case which | WAS enabled to make
consisted of balanced arm rotating n a
horizontal plane, after the manner Of 4
turned stile or children i merrv.go. rounl
The frigate birds eau be seen any calm
day over the lower Florida COASTS pojn0
round and round in their interminable
circles on fixed wings the whole day long
Then plane Of the weight and iiIhen-
sions and position Of q friRdte bird ought
TO move IN the same manner ii similarly
placed. Not being able to Try tile eyperi
ment mile high IN free air, I did the
next best thing, and tried II on the sur.
Iace OF the earth ut an elevation Of nbunt
Blk feet The rotating arm WINS mnds ~
hight as possible, its only functions being
directive one. AT first Il diameter Of ii
feet was used, with planes IL by 80
inches. was engaged for two or three
months on the device without success. Il
would not initiate the birds and move
continuously. | found 1T length TINT
on account Of the more rapid
motion OF the outer ends Of
the planes than Of the inner ends. TIC
outer ends would climb the inclination
faster than the inner, thus efawdiup the
air away in the lateral motion 70
remedy this defect the planes were nnda
winding, so rs 10 mako tile inclination Of
the inner end sleeper This Was a great
advantage, but did moi Qet ro,ary
motion. wRs contideIH Of some error
IN the construction, but could not az That
time locate it, 1t, however. occurred 70
nle that | had never observed d soaring
End swing IN circles less tHan hundred
teet IN diameter I mlcdr d Hnphazard
THAI ~ extending the arms to q diameter
Of Va feet and a plane aBoat vi ~ ~
trial II would only operate IN cHlnla mir mt
on one occasion il travelled for three DAYS
without batting In the afternoon 1f the
third day slight brecze stopped Il II
would move around .. onfG III sill ~,
whenever started
In conclusion Prof EimNst6r anil H..
whole field is open to science nav tfat
his discoveries have for tnc Ntst tin,a
been made public Under thg date 81.
August 23d the New York Inn, 81
August gath gave the following ~ asp9na{.
The members of the American Ass5ei.
ton for the Advancement Of Seicno4
spent considerable .time this morning II
ridiculing one Of tLeir fellows Thor
was rush for the section Of mechanical
science where the models Of soGripR Bifl,
OF Prot. Lancaster were announced % b.
exhibited The capacity Of the room w.,
altogether too small for the deruandt
upon 1t. There was great disappointment
exhibited whom the spectators saw ~,
the model, instead Of being d aonfiDl
bird, mRde from paper or pasteb5arj
was simply q wooden frame with al
IRON bar and a pair of scales Professor
Lancaster had u number of diaVrgma
with which he endeayored To show tht
effects of pressure IN different direction,
on body, which would have tendeuc,
to cause the body to ascend on an in
olined plane in greater degree than Il,
descent in u vertical direction. II woul5
be harder to explain the alleged scientIA,
principles Of Professor IAnGasteris pApc,
than il would be, as was evident. TO unak,
the professors of mathematics an.
mechanical science present, believe I'M
the lecturers views were correct. Prof
Lancaster was frequently interrupted viii
questions from the incredulous audience
who asked an explanation of histechnica
utteranees but his answers were mot satis
factory.
When President Morse appeared OF
the scene and the model Of the fytnl
machine was not forthcoming he enor
getically attacked the principles o.
pounded by the soaring bird man. TIL,
people had been given 10 understand tia
the soaring birds would be exhibited, sn,