The Humming Bird. 31 



THE FLYING MAN. 

 By the Editor. 



|||jf| GERMAN, Mr. Otto Lilienthal, a practical worker, 

 SÊÈk has successfully invented an apparel, not exactly 

 adequate for flying about, but quite good enough to precipi- 

 tate himself into space from an elevated spot or eminence. 

 During three years Mr. Lilienthal has been studying the 

 mechanism of wings in birds, and the result was the con- 

 struction of an apparel consisting chiefly of two gigantic 

 wings, about sixteen yards square, when opened. These 

 wings, weighing forty-two pounds, are fixed on a skeleton 

 frame made with osier, in the centre of which the experimen- 

 tator sits. From his seat he can easily modify the inclination 

 of the wings, and direct two rudders, fixed at the back of the 

 apparel. 



With the exception of the hands, which lay on a 

 transversal bar, the rest of the body is entirely free in its 

 movements, and by sloping it more or less to the right or to 

 the left, modifies the position of the centre of gravity of the 

 apparel. 



After numerous experiments, resulting in acquiring the 

 perfect manipulation of the wings and rudders, Mr. Lilienthal 

 made up his mind to experiment his flying machine. He 

 first took his flight from a tower, twelve feet high, which he 

 purposely built for that purpose. He was so successful that 

 his next attempt was made from a hill, about three hundred 

 feet high. He landed at a distance of nine hundred feet 

 from the hill, leisurely and without the least difficulty. 



During the aerial voyage, he worked the wings so, as to 

 accelerate or delay the descent at will. He succeeded 

 also to fly against the wind. Therefore we can say with 

 certainty that the first step for the manufacturing of flying 

 machines is an accomplished fact, and before long, man will 

 have conquered AlR at last. 



Mr. Lilienthal himself confesses that much remains to be 

 done to make his apparel perfect ; but with the elements 

 worked upon by him, it will not take long now, to construct a 

 perfect machine, which will enable Man to explore that 

 domain. I congratulate, heartily, Mr. Lilienthal for his im- 

 portant discovery, to which his name will remain permanently 

 associated, as the first practical discoverer of this most 

 interesting and scientific problem. 



