62 
tail was fastened to the lower end. The kite stood in the 
air with almost absolute steadiness. I found that by pull- 
ing strings fastened to the right and left sides of the hori- 
zontal bow, the kite could be made to fly 30° or more from 
the direction of the wind, and hence that it would be pos- 
sible to use it in bringing a vessel to windward. One great 
advantage of such a mode of propulsion over ordinary sails 
would be that the force, however great, could be applied 
low down, so as to produce no more careening than that 
desired by the seaman. 
E. W. Binney, V.P., F.B.S., said that in the Isle of 
Man there had been a prevalence of easterly winds through- 
out the months of October and November, such as he had 
never experienced during a residence of ten years. This 
appears to have influenced the migration of swallows. In 
the beginning of September the chimney swallows and the 
house martins assembled in great numbers on his buildings 
on Douglas Head, as they were accustomed to do prior to 
their annual departure, and disappeared. On the 5th of 
November, between 10 and 12 a.m., he observed a dozen 
house martins ( Hirundo urbica ) in front of his house and 
between it and the sea, busily employed in pursuing their 
prey. During the summer months the swift and sand 
martin are frequently seen in the same locality, but seldom 
the swallow or house martin, and he was inclined to believe 
that the presence of the latter was due to their having been 
driven out of their course by the easterly gales. 
