The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-04-07

Upon the principle Of compressed air.
therefore, may rest the ultimate sOlu-
ton Of mems fight above the earth.
= x <
At the same time that Dr.. Won Len
denfeld was working out these facts,
DIR. +. Mascha, studying under his di-
rectiOn al the institute, was deternin-
ing what magic there might be in the
feather structure Of birds wings. His
results show how perfect for its pur-
pose is the tapping of the feather quilts
one over another. The happy combina-
ton of strength and lightness so vivid
" pictured in this flexible structure is
Q combination the value of which is
more widely realized in commercial
construction every day. On the under
side and at the ends of the feather
| fbers, DR.. Maseha points out micro
sCopiC hooks which serve to attach
easily one feather to another to make
up one whole wing structure. Taper
I ing with greater and greater fleXibility
toward the back and ends of the wings,
these feathers make possible the pc
culiar action of the wing upon the air.
Two other sets of researches have
just been completed under the direc-
ton of DR.. Won Lendenfeld. The first,
conducted by DR.. Bruno Muller, was
designed TO determine the use of Ger
tain empty spaces in the bodies Of
birds which have puzzled investigators
for many years. The second has to Go
with the flight of four-winged insects.
The air sac" investigation is just re
! ported to the Smithsonian. Theories
/ filing pamphlets have in times past
! been launched upon the scientific world
to account for these cavities near the
| lungs and under the skin of birds. Rea-
sons which would preclude the posi-
/ bility of mans ever navigating in the
atmosphere were in many cases put
| forth. The fertility of the minds of
| researchers in giving these spaces some
/ function is convincing evidence to show
/ now at a less they have been for any
definite proof The little sub-skin air
sacS' have been assigned two sepa-
rate functions-to help raise the feath-
/ erS and to preserve bodily heat. To
/ the empty spaces near the lungs. how
ever have been attributed powers even
more wonderful. 1t has been said that
| they serve as 'TeSOnatOTy organs for
producing certain tones. that they per-
form respiratory functions that they
helD reduce the specific gravity of the
body. that they act similar to a barO-
meter in determining height, that they
aid in fixing the wings in an extended
position. that they assist the digestion,
that they insure equilibrium in flight
and that they arr store houses for air
for respiration. Mr.. Muller has consid-
cred all these theories. Nevertheless he
reaches a very simple conclusion. He
says:
Z do not consider the air sac system
as whole as a collection
of organs having special functions, but
rather q system of empty interspaces.
It's value lies in its vaCuity. that is, in
its containing nothing that can offer
a great resistance or that has notable
weight.
Flying is the most complete kind
of locomotion, and as sucn presupposes
a high degree of bodily efficiency. Our
most effective machines are by no
means those which are compact and
solid, but those composed of parts that
arc as strong as possible and arranged
i'm the most appropriate manner, the
interspaces being taken up by air"
There is apparently nothing, there
fore in the air sac" system jim birds
which should prevent the construction
of a flying machine upon similar prin-
ciples.
The findings In the second report Just
received are equally vital to the prob
lem of mechanical flight. DR.. Lee
Walter, another of DR.. Won Ienden-
field s assistants, mas been examining
the workings of the flying apparatus
of four winged insects. The stroke,
says DR.. Walter, is a curious one. 1t
is like a figure 6 with a small upper
looD-a stroke which might be repro
duced mechanically. A careful study
has been concluded of the method by
which the hind wings are attached to
the fore wings, since the strength Of
the stroke seems to come from the
wings. In some insects a curious set
of tiny BRUSHES on the upper side of
the back wing reach into a little band
of hair and join to scales on the under
side of the fore wing, making the two
wings practically one. In others a Sc
ries of hooks on the upper lock with a
corresponding series on the lower.
Just what principles of nature
brought out in these researches may be
applied to practical use in the flying
notwithstanding the word literally-is
yet to be determined. The complete
discovery, however. of the secret Of
suspension and locOmotion involved in
the flight of birds and insects is the
first step in the solution of mechanical
navigation in the air. The theory once
established beyond a doubt, engineers
may incorporate all practical features
into the construction of a machine The
object Of DR.. Won Lendenfeld's work
under the HOdgkins grants of the
Smithsonian Institution is TO find facts
UPON which firmly TO base a theory.