PROGRESSION IN OR THROUGH THE AIR. 133 



flight is concerned, for it shows that the flying surfaces of a 

 large, heavy, powerful flying machine will be comparatively 

 small, and consequently comparatively compact and strong. 

 This is a point of very considerable importance, as the object 

 desiderated in a flying machine is elevating capacity. 



M. de Lucy has tabulated his results, which I subjoin -} — 



INSECTS. 



BIRDS. 



Names. 



Referred to the 

 kilograiiime 

 = 21bs. 8oz. ;jclwt. 2gr. 

 Avoird. 

 = 2 lbs. 3 oz. 4-428 dr. 





Referred 

 to the 

 kilogramme. 



Dragon-fly (small), 

 Coccinella (Lady-bird}, 

 Dragon-fly (common), . 

 Tipula, or Daddy-long-legs, . 



Bee, 



Meat-fly, .... 

 Drone (blue), 



Cockchafer, .... 

 Lucanus ) Stag beetle (female), 

 cervus f Stag-beetle (male), 

 Rhinoceros-beetle, 



sq. 



yds. ft. in. 

 11 8 92 

 7 2 56 

 5 13 87 

 5 2 89 

 3 5 11 

 1 2 74^ 

 1 3 54i 

 1 2 20 

 1 2 50 

 1 1 39| 

 0 8 33 

 0 G 122i- 



Swallow, 



Sparrow, 



Turtle-dove, 



Pigeon, 



Stork, . 



Vulture, 



Crane of Australia, 



sq. 



yds. ft. in. 

 1 1 104i- 

 0 5 142A 

 0 4 lOOi 

 0 2 113 

 0 2 20 

 0 1 116 

 0 0 139 



" It is easy, by aid of this table, to follow the order, 

 always decreasing, of the surfaces, in proportion as the 

 winged animal increases in size and weight. Thus, in com- 

 paring the insects with one another, we find that the gnat, 

 which weighs 460 times less than the stag-beetle, has four- 

 teen times more of surface. The lady-bird weighs 150 times 

 less than the stag-beetle, and possesses five times more of 

 surface. It is the same with the birds. The sparrow 

 weighs about ten times less than the pigeon, and has twice as 

 much surface. The pigeon weighs about eight times less 

 than the stork, and has twice as much surface. The sparrow 

 weighs 339 times less than the Australian crane, and possesses 

 seven times more surface. If now we compare the in- 

 sects and the birds, the gradation will become even much 

 more striking. The gnat, for example, weighs 97,000 times 



1 " On the Flight of Birds, of Bats, and of Insects, in reference to the anh- 

 ject of Aerial Locomotion," by M. de Lucy, Paris. 



