We wish to thank the various manufacturers for their kindness in giving us information, and to acknowledge our indebtedness to various newspapers that have fallen in our way, to the “Scientific American,” to the “Galaxy,” and to the “Velocipedist,” and its genial and accomplished young editor. Cambridge, _March 20, 1869_. CONTENTS. PAGE The Velocipede: its History and Origin 7 The Bicycle 17 Patents and the Rights of Manufacturers 27 Hints to Purchasers 35 Advice to the Beginner 39 Construction of the Bicycle 45 Varieties of the Bicycle: Wood Brothers’ Velocipede 48 The Monod Velocipede 50 Witty’s Velocipede 51 Pickering’s American Velocipede 52 Sargent Velocipede 55 Kimball’s Velocipede 57 The Dexter Bicycle 61 The Chicago Velocipede 62 Four-wheeled Velocipedes: Bradford’s Velocipede 64 Callahan’s Velocipede 67 The Tricycle 70 Hemming’s Unicycle, or “Flying Yankee Velocipede” 76 Velocipedes for Ladies 85 Velocipede Schools and Rinks 90 “Where shall we ride?” 97 Velocipede Racing 99 Velocipede Literature 103 Velocipathy. The Velocipede from a Medical Point of View 104 THE VELOCIPEDE: ITS HISTORY AND ORIGIN. We have spent much time in fruitless and weary researches over old French books and musty journals, and have found that there is but very little about the Velocipede, in the literature, or dictionaries and encyclopedias of ancient or modern times.