452 



SCIENTIFIC RECREATIONS. 



it with all its transitions, he has substituted for silk wings, which fold 

 up, some wings composed entirely of strong feathers, arranged in such a 

 manner that they slipped one over the other when in motion The arrange- 

 ment was perfect, but still not suit- 

 able for adaptation to the large bird. 

 The inventor therefore again returned 

 to the use of the silk wings, which he 

 appears to have definitely adopted. 

 By means of certain modifications 

 which he has recently introduced in 

 his larger apparatus viz., a change 

 in the shape of the wings, variation 

 of the amplitude in the flapping, etc., 

 M. Tatin has been enabled to make 

 great progress. The bird, acting by 

 means of compressed air, at first 

 could only raise three-quarters of its 

 own weight, but finally lifted itself 

 entirely. And we must take into 

 consideration that the apparatus has 

 to struggle against the weight of 

 the steering apparatus, which nullifying the vertical and horizontal reactions 

 of the bird during flight, constantly fulfils the orifice of regulator. 



We will now pass to the consideration of two ingenious appliances 

 of a very clever inventor, M. Salleron. 



SMALL ATMOSPHERIC BOAT. 



The little boat shown in fig. 480, which is about the size of an ordinary 

 plaything, is a very ingenious, if not a practical, application of the specific 

 lightness of air acting as a propelling force. In this instance steam plays 



Fig. 479. Back view of apparatus. 



Fig. 480. Atmospheric boat. 



but a secondary part, which consists in carrying off the air that causes the 

 moving of the boat. 



