The Critic and record., 1891-04-22
WORK IT TAKES TO SOAR.
Inter estinE Meeting of the National
Academy of Sciences.

Academy of Sciences.
Professor o. G. Marsh of Yale Univcr-
sity presided at the meeting Of the Acad-
emy Of Science yesterday. Calling for
papers to be read the assembly imme-
diatelY began to talk shop in q way be-
wildoring to the layman.
Professor A. S. Packard of Brown Uni
versity, Providence, II. l., read the first
paper, highly didactic document on
Further Studies on the Brain of Limu-
lus Polyphemus," Professor Packard told
q great many things that even newspaper
men have failed to ascertain about the
anatomy and essential machinery of the
brains Of insects, scorpions, and SIGH. The
hearer learned that travelling by horizon
tai sections each one of these creatures
was possessed of ganglia, tubules, cells,
poster ior lobules and lateral, median eye
and cerebral lobes characterized by nota-
bic differentiations and peculiar integra-
tions.
The next paper--or rather IL was not a
paper, but matter talked right OFF the
tongue like one whe knows his lesson
was that of Professor $. p. Langley, sec
retSry Of the Smithsonian Institution.
Professor Langley's subject was Aero
dynamics, a story in brief of four years of
experiments in aerial dynamics. The
Professor started out by asserting that the
subject was one which had belonged more
to the field of charlatanism than to the
domain of science, and concluded by the
declaration of his belief in the confirmh-
ton of the idea that mechanical flight is
perfectly attainable. With blackboard
and chalk and pieces of apparatus he had
used in his experiments, the Professor
was highly instructive and entertaining.
Though it all embraced the simplest
principles of natural philosophy, the
story and proof of results were like reve-
lations to most of the listeners.
Professor Langley talked of the specu-
lations which had been INDUCED in by
various savants. respecting the power 1t
took to keep buzZard or condor poised
in the air motionless for many minutes
without even telescope observation dis
covering the ruille Of feather. II had
been agreed upon that IL took about the
average power of man to work even q
swallow in the upper elements, while for
the great American bird, the eagle, to
disport himself a-wing required strength
squal to that of twelve horses. For the
soft-bosomed swan to soar aloft forty
horse power was necessary.
One of the important discoveries Pro-
fessor Langley had made was that, in
keeping even plane of any weight sus-
pended IN the air, the faster the working
of the machinery, the more weight could
be borne. This he had found increased
at great rate of progression. He proved
by simple experiment the truth of his
observation. II was done with slender
staff, surmounted by a light oblong
plane of wood. Holding Il aloft he
showed that, as he dropped it, it fell
| quickly. Then taking the staff between
his extended palms he gave IL q vigorous
twirl and let 20. The wood sailed off at
| quite an angle and descended with COM
| parative slowness. There was some little
discussion of the subject, but none said
anything skeptical Of the Professors con-
| viction that in little while, perhaps but
few months, aerial navigation would
| be demonstrable at the hands of science.
Professor f. II. Bigelow of "The Nauti-
| cal Almanac" Office read paper ON THE
| Solar Corona, an Instance of the Newton
ian Potential in the Case of Repulsion,"
| Professor A. A. Nicholson read n paper
| on 'The Application of Interference
Technically it was as deep as well.
Mr.. II. S. Pfitchett described some
| photographs of the Corona made during
the eclipse of January, 1889, and exhibited
/ one Of them.
Among those present yesterday were: j
| S. Billings Washington; Lewis Boss, Al.
bany; William ii. Brewer, New Haven;
Edward ID. Cope, Philadelphia; G. Brown
| NOOuei NusHluBlOlli DeHJdlllln a. UOulu,
Cambridge; Arnold Hague, Washington
| Asaph Hall, Washington; George w. Hill
| Washington; s. p. Langley, Washington;
| o. G.. Marsh, New Haven; Albert A
Nicholson, Worcester, Mass. Edward S
Morse, Salem; Frederick w. Putnam
Cambridge; Ira Remsen, Baltimore; Henry
| A. Rowland and Charles A. Schott, Wash
ington; Francis A. Walker, Boston, Charles
A. White, Washington; Theo. N. Gill
| Washington, and NJ q. Meigs, Washington
At to.day's session DR.. John s. Billings
read paper of profound scientific in
terest upon the human bones of the
Heminway collection in the Army Med
ical Museum.
These bones were placed in the museum
by Mr.. Frank Cushing who obtained
them from the Zuni ruins III Arizona il
1887, an expedition for that purpose
having been fitted out by Mrs, Mary
Heminway of Boston.