Mechanical Wing: Feather Overlap and Flap Positions
A faster downstroke lifts the bird; a lettered wing shows where the flaps sit
The first note argues that the bird whose downstroke is faster than its upstroke rises most, pressing the underside of its wings toward the centre of the earth; when the undersides instead press toward the horizon the strokes are equal. Beside it is a drawing of a mechanical wing lettered c, a, b, n, m, with a gridded panel, noting how the feathers of c-a overlap in the order of a-b and marking a b n m as the place of the flaps.
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A quicker downstroke gives the greatest lift
The bird quicker in lowering than in raising its wings rises most, pressing the underside of the wings toward the centre of the world. If those undersides instead press toward the horizon, the strokes become equal.
Feather order and flap location a b n m
Note whether the feathers of c a are laid one over another in the manner and order of a b. The region a b n m will be the place of the flaps. The drawing shows the wing outline with a gridded panel and these lettered points.
