from avros, iye, and μακας, exieror), a self-moving machine, or one so constructed, by means of weights, levers, pulleys, &c. as to move for a considerable time, as though endowed with animal life. According to this description, clocks, watches, and all machines of that kind, are automata.

Under the article ANDROIDES we observed that the highest perfection to which automata could be carried was to imitate exactly the motions and actions of living creatures, especially of mankind, which are more difficultly imitated than those of other animals. Very surprising imitations, however, have been made of other creatures. So long ago as 400 years before Christ, Archytas of Tarentum is said to have made a wooden pigeon that could fly; nor will this appear at all incredible, when we consider the flute-player made by M. Vaucanson, and the chef-player by M. Kempel. Dr Hook is also said to have made the model of a flying chariot, capable of supporting itself in the air. But M. Vaucanson above-mentioned hath distinguished himself still more eminently. That gentleman, encouraged by the favourable reception of his flute-player, made a duck, which was capable of eating, drinking, and imitating exactly the voice of a natural one. Nay, what is still more surprising, the food it swallowed was evacuated in a digested state; not that it was really in a state of natural excrement, but only considerably altered from what it was when swallowed; and this digestion was performed on the principles of solution, not of trituration. The wings, viscera, and bones, of this artificial duck, were also formed so as very strongly to resemble those of a living animal. Even in the actions of eating and drinking, this resemblance was preserved; the artificial duck swallowed with avidity and vastly quick motions of the head and throat; and likewise muddled the water with its bill, exactly like a natural one.

M. le Droz of La Chaux de Fonds in the county of Neuchâtel, hath also executed some very curious pieces of mechanism, which well deserve to be ranked with those already mentioned. One was a clock, which was presented to his Spanish majesty; and had among other curiosities, a sheep, which imitated the bleating of a natural one; and a dog watching a basket of fruit. When any one attempted to purloin the fruit, the dog gnashed Automaton gnashed his teeth and barked; and if it was actually taken away, he never ceased barking till it was restored.

Besides this, he made a variety of human figures, which exhibited motions truly surprising; but all inferior to Mr Kempell's chess-player, which may justly be looked upon as the greatest masterpiece in mechanics that ever appeared. See ANDROIDES.