THE AUTOMATON STATUE OF MEMNON.

Explanation.—The image sits on a case, within which is placed a barrel-organ, which, when wound up, is prevented from playing by a catch that takes a toothed wheel at the end of the barrel. To one end of this catch there must be joined a wire, at the end of which there is a flat disc of cork, of the same dimension as the inside of a glass tube, in which it is to rise and fall. This tube must communicate with a reservoir that goes across the front part of the bottom of the case, which is to be filled with spirit, such as is used in thermometers, but not coloured, that it may be the better concealed by the gauze.

This case being placed in the sun, the spirit will be rarefied by the heat, and, rising in the tnbe, will lift up the catch or trigger, and set the organ in play, which it will continue to do as long as it is kept in the sun; for the spirit cannot run out of the tube, that part of the catch to which the circle is fixed being prevented from rising beyond a certain point, by a check placed over it. Care must be taken to remove the machine out of the sun before the organ runs down, that its stopping may be evidently affected by the cold.

When the machine is placed against the side of a room on which the sun shines strongly, it may constantly remain in the same place, if you enclose it in a second case, made of thick wood, and placed at a little distance from the other. When you want it to perform, it will be only necessary to throw open the door of the outer case, and expose it to the sun.

But if the machine be movable, it will perform in all seasons by being placed before the fire; and in the winter it will more readily stop when removed into the cold.

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