Transcriber’s Notes: Text printed in italics in the original work has been transcribed between _underscores_, bold text has been transcribed between =equals signs=. Small Capitals in the original work have been transformed to ALL CAPITALS. More Transcriber’s Notes may be found at the end of this text. ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLIGHT. =A Pocket-Book of Aeronautics.=--By H. W. L. MOEDEBECK. Translated from the German by Dr. W. MANSERGH VARLEY. With 150 Illustrations. 10s. 6d. net. CONTENTS.--Gases--Physics of the Atmosphere--Meteorological Observations--Balloon Technics--Kites and Parachutes--On Ballooning--Balloon Photography--Photographic Surveying from Balloons--Military Ballooning--Animal Flight--Artificial Flight--Airships--Flying Machines--Motors--Air Screws--Appendix--Index. “Will be highly welcome to all aeronauts. It may be said to be the only complete work practically dealing with such matters. We have no hesitation in thoroughly recommending this as an absolutely indispensable book.”--_Knowledge._ “It is without a doubt the best book that has appeared on the subject.”--_Aeronautical Journal._ “The present volume ought certainly to be possessed by every student of Aeronautics, as it contains a vast amount of information of the highest value.”--_Glasgow Herald._ WHITTAKER & CO., LONDON, E.C. ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLIGHT. BY SIR HIRAM S. MAXIM. WITH 95 ILLUSTRATIONS. WHITTAKER & CO., 2 WHITE HART STREET, PATERNOSTER SQUARE, LONDON, E.C., AND 64-66 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK. 1908. PREFACE. It was in 1856 that I first had my attention called to the subject of flying machines. My father, who was a profound thinker and a clever mechanician, seems to have given the subject a great deal of thought, and to have matured a plan identical with what has been proposed by hundreds since that time. I was then sixteen years of age, and a fairly good mechanician, and any new thing in the mechanical line interested me immensely.