Men Cannot Hope to Emulate the Birds.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 30 October 1914, Page 2

Men Cannot Hope to Emulate the Birds.

A remarkable exhibition that will make a strong appeal to all interested in flying has been prepared by the authorities of the Natural History Museum in .London. It consists of numerous specimens and models that enable one to study the structural peculiarities that enable birds and insects to fly. The vital difference between the flying of birds and of human inventions is that the birds use only one mo\ement of the wings both to keep themselves supported in the air and to drive themselves along. Hi.man inventions for aviation, on the contrary, have to employ two contrivances : one to sustain their weight—s.ch as the planes of the aero; lan'j and the gasbag of a balloon —and another to move them through the air—the engine and propeller. In some early attempts at flying birds' wings were used as a model ; but there is little prospect of wings ever being made which would carry a human being. The reason is that feathers while light enough in the small quantity required for a bir.l, would be too heavy for flight when used in a sufficient quantity to support a man. The closest resemblance to an aeroplane which is to be found among the exhibits is a beetle, whose front wings support it after the manner of planes while the back wings drive it forward.