A Bird's Wing

Did you ever look at a bird's wiDg carefully and try to fiod out f'rom it the way in which it is used ? People usually suppose, eithcr that a bird fles becauso it is lichter than tho air, like a balloon, or that it rows itself along as a boat is rowed through the water. Neither of these suppositions is truc. A bird is not lighter than the air, and does not float, for when a bird ií shot on the wing it falls to the ground as quickly as a squirrel. On the contrary a bird flies by its own weight, and could not fly at all if it werc not heavier than the air. Look at a quill feather and you will see that on eaoh sido of the central shaft or quill there is a broad, thin portion, which is called the vane. The vane on ono side of the shaft is quite broad and flexible, whilo that on the other sido is narrow and stiff; and by looking at a wing with the feathers in their placea, you will find that (hoy uro placed so that tliey overlap a little liku the slats on a wiudow blind. Each broad vane runs under the narrow vane of tbe itather beside it, so tUat, when the wing is moved downward, each featliur is lressed up against the stiff, narrow vain of :he one beside it, like a blind with the slats elosed. After the down-stroke is finslied and tho up-stroko begins, tho pressure is taken off trom the lower surface of ;he wiog and begins to get on the upper surface and then to presa tho feathers downward instead of upward. The broad vanes now have nothing to support them, and they bend down and allow the air to jass through the wiug, whicli ia now like a jlind with the slats open. By these two contrivances- the shape of the wing and be shape and arrangoinent of the feathers ,he wing resista the air on the down stroke, and raises the bird a little at each flap, but at each upstroke allows the air to slide off at the sides and to pass through between the feathors, bo nothing is lost. - St. Nicholas. _______ _ It is clainied that if a couple of bandsfull of the common blaek walnut leaves are put n a vessel of water all night, and next morning boiled for fif'teen to twenty minutes : then when cold taking a sponge or ag and inoisten the eyes, neck, lega, etc., of a liorse, the flies witl give those places a wide berth. In soino oases this application may be valuable.