BOOK NO TICKS. 639 
structed is intended to occupy about one- half the vertical dimensions of a tunnel, 
and to have such width as to enable it to pass freely through the same. 
After the drilling mechanism has prepared holes for the explosives it is 
moved rearward a short distance, and by suitable means is raised to, and held in 
position near the roof of the tunnel, after which the car is moved inward upon the 
rails until its front end is near the rock to be blasted, the cover is now raised 
until its front end is in contact with the upper side of the tunnel, the hinged 
portions of the sides are turned outward until they rest against the contiguous 
sides, after which the charge of explosives, which have been meanwhile placed 
in position, are fired. The debris dislodged by the explosion will fall directly 
into the car, or will be thrown against the sides or cover of the same and then 
fall to the bottom, but little if any will fall below or outside of the car, so that the 
labor of loading the material will be entirely avoided, and the car with its con- 
tents may be speedily, run out of the tunnel and dumped; in the meantime the 
drilling mechanism has been placed in postion. In order to avoid all possibility 
of the passage of stone, etc., at the sides of the car, a wing is hinged to the 
front end of each stationary side piece, and is adapted to swing outward against 
the sides of the tunnel, and not only operates to close the space between the 
latter and the side pieces, but also acts as a shield for the front ends of the side 
pieces. 
The mechanism described not only lessens materially the time and labor 
required for the construction of tunnels, mining operations, etc., thereby rend- 
ering more speedily available the capital invested, but it also affords protection 
to those engaged in the work, preventing in a great degree the loss of life which 
has heretofore attended the prosecution of such work. 
Mr. W. R. Kirk, of this city, has evolved the above described labor-saving 
apparatus. 
BOOK NOTICES. 
Lectures on Painting: By Edward Armitage, R. A. Octavo, pp. 337. G. 
P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1883. For sale by M. H. Dickinson, $1.75. 
These lectures are selected from the series delivered by the author to the 
students of the Royal Academy between the years 1876 and 1882. They cover 
the following comprehensive and suggestive range : Ancient costumes, Byzan- 
tine and Romanesque art, the painters of the eighteenth century, *' David" and 
his school, the modern schools of Europe, drawing, color, decorative painting, 
finish, the choice of a subject, the composition of decorative and historical pic- 
tures and composition of incident pictures : twelve in all, and evidently intended 
not only for artists and art students, but also for persons who may desire to ob. 
