Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-18

tall teams and football players will be used
when available).
Los Angeles boys, yes, and girls, too,
have been studying aerial navigation
for the past two or three years through
the method employed in the public
schools of making study OF kite build
ing and flying. Perhaps some OF them
did not know this, but that is really
what the outcome of their studies will
be. AN boys have been interested In
the experiments OF the Wright broth
ers. who have made wonderful advance
in the airship science.
Every loyal and patriotic American
boy was Justly delighted when John J.
Hayes won the great Marathon race In
England recently. That victory estab-
lished Americans well up In the rank
of international athletics and put to
flight one great argument of the Eu-
ropean athletes, who had always con-
tended that the Americans were well
enough for short, dashing work. but
could not do anything which demanded
sustained strength and reserve power.
Perhaps there seems little connection
between these two subjects, airsnlps
and foot racing. but as a matter OF
fact scientists are just now wondering
IL there is not way of uniting the two
SO as to greatly benefit both. This
might be accomplished by the use OF
wings fitted to the arms OF the run
ners.
The ostrich, which cannot ny, but
which can run faster than any animal
known, uses its comparatively short
wings to great advantage when in full
flight. But that the ostrich--a biped--
should outstrip the fieetest quadrupeds,
whereas the biped man cannot outrun
even small mongrel dog. seems
strange until one has studied the SCI
entific reasons for that gigantic birds
marvellous speed.
The legs of an ostrich are, of course,
much longer than the legs of man;
but that is only one reason for It's feet
ness. Other reasons are that the legs
are very closely set: that the bones OK
the leg and foot are inclined very OBJ
iiQuely to each other, and the femur
very obliquely to the ilium, which ar
rangement makes the angles OF the sew
eral bones of the legs comparatively
small-an important condition OF speed
smaller, in fact, than those In either
the horse or the deer. Then the foot
of the ostrich is small. elastic and fiexi-
BILE, 20 that ii can seize and let go the
ground with great facility and rapidity.
Again, when the ostrich careers along
the plain 1t spreads its wings so that
they act as balances. and, because OF
the great speed at which 1t travels they
serve also as kites or small aeroplanes
that elevate, sustain and carry forward
by a mechanical adaptation a consid-
erable portion of it's weight. for 1t
should be remembered that, as DIR. J.
Bell Pettigrew puts 1t, THE elevating
and propelling power OF even diminu-
Al. - e,1o au anfAar-
able when carried along at high speed
in horizontal direction"
1t is the above principle that the writ
er thinks an athlete might apply in the
practice of running. Consider how
much the speed of trotting horses has
been increased by mechanical appli-s
ances, such as weights for the shoes,
wind shields, etc. No man runner, how
ever, has, to the writer's knowledge.
ever experimental with arm aeroplanes,
which would not have to be large. for
1t has been found that. while short
wings We're great assistance in run
ming, big wings were hindrance. The
eagle, because Of its huge pinions. gets
over the ground with difficulty.
But here still another reason for the
ostrich's superior speed must be mem
tioned-the fact that most of its weight
is in front, whereas man, well poised
and perfectly erect lacks this great
aid 10 running. NOW, Couiu uuIiidn
runner learn by assiduous practice to
use arm aeropianes as effectively as
an ostrich uses its pinions, ne could
incline forward much more while rum
ming, and the rush of air under the
planes, provided he maintained them
properly, would not only balance, but
also support a great part of his weight.
In this connection 1t is interesting to
note that the human wrist and hand,
having the power OF moving upward
and downward and from side to side
with equal facility, virtually repre-
sents all the movements of the wing
at the root
ances as arm aeroplanes. however ma
nipulated. would add at all to a mans
speed in sprinting, the writer cannot
say, but the experiment seems to be
we'll worth trying. At all events, If a
birds brain knows how to use fiipper
wings, which 1t cannot fly with, to
advantage in running. it is not incred-
ible that mans brain, through much
experimenting, might make artificial
a 4. L. <a6