13 



row ■sving appears to fjivc the stronger 

 flight, presenting, as it does, a finer angle 

 with the resisting medium. As Professor 

 Cayley shows that the centre of resistance 

 in a sail when ect at a fine point to the 

 wind is not the centre of the aail but much 

 in advance of it, so with the bird. The 

 resistance of the air is transferred almost 

 entirely to the front edge of the pinion. 

 The drawback of the long wiug is that it 

 makes it practically impossible for the bird 

 to rise without dropping off a high point or 

 running a considerable distance until suffi- 

 cient momentum has been acquired for a 

 spring to allow a full sweep of the wings. 

 The vertical movement of the wing results 

 in a forward movement, and tlic more the 

 wing is tilted up the greater will ]ye the 

 tendency to rise. In vertical flight the 

 lx>dy will assume an almost vertical posi- 

 tion to allow the wings to rotate at a proper 

 angle; while only those birds whoso muscu- 

 lar power is great in proportion to their 

 weight can mount verticallv. There are. 

 however, two movements which assist the 

 vertical flight, (l) — The neck is stretched 

 forward and the tail is spread out flat in 

 the same plane as the expanded wings, so 



that the bird assumes more or less the 

 shape of a kite, and darts upward* 

 obliquely, while (2) an upward momentum 

 is started in the middle of rapid horizontal 

 flight by a sudden depression of the ex- 

 panded tail. Soaring is an art that has 

 been acquired by many birds, notably the 

 albatross and other sea birds, as also by 

 the hawks and members of the swift family. 

 This power belongs only to the strong 

 winged species, and the only movement 

 made is an alteration of the angle of the 

 wing so that the bird moves like a car on 

 a switchback railway. This alteration of 

 the angle of the wing is not easy to detect 

 by observation, except under very favour- 

 able conditions. Many birds use a jerky 

 method of flight — the finches notably so — 

 which progress after momentum has been 

 obtained only by a series of jumps — opening 

 and shutting the wings without striking 

 a direct blow. 



In conclusion, the lecturer commended to 

 his hearers the study of this most interest- 

 ing subject — a subject which baffled the tra- 

 ditional wisdom or Solomon when he set in 

 the foremost place of the things he under- 

 stood not " the wav of an eagle in the air.'* 



SUMMER EXCURSIONS. 



A small party of nK-mber-s of the Society and friends had the?r fi^rst summer excursion 

 -on the 19th June, journeying to Reculver in a horse-brake, and visiting Chislet and Heme 

 churches en route. At Reculver the remains of the Roman walls were inspected, as well as 

 the ruins of the ancient church; some manuscript notes on the latter m-itteu by a visitor 

 about 130 year? ago enabled the ] arty to form an idea of the interesting building whicU 

 has now almost disappeared. The churches at Chislet and Heme detained the company for 

 some time, the Xornian work of the former and the fine brasses in Herno church being closely 

 examined. Dr. Wills, the President, accompanied the party, and Mr. T. Undcrhill acted as 

 guide. 



On July 3Td a few members made an excursion to Sandwich and Richborough. They 

 fipent some time examining the Roman walls and subterranean works at Richborough, where 

 they found workmen engaged in stripjiing the walls of the ivy which completely covers them 

 in places. .\t Sandwich the old Town Hall and churches were visited. This excursion was a 

 very interesting and enjoyable one. 



LIBRARIAN'S REPORT. 



The Hon. Librarian has again pleasure in reporting that good use has been made of the 

 JSociety's valuable collection of books, both by members and others, during the past two years. 



The books and scientific periodicals are always available for use of the members, or 

 their friends, any week day from 10 a.m. till 8.30 p.m. 



In July the Society's Ijooks were all removed from the shelves and overhauled. Th,e 

 bioks were thoroughly dusted and shelves washed prior to returning the books to the cases 

 .again. Magazines atid re|M)rts have been placed in proj>er order and carefully labelled. 



