In 1866 the Aëronautical Society of Great Britain was founded with George Douglas Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll (1823–1900) as first president, and patron. The purpose of the society was to further the study of aerial navigation as well as to make aeronautics a respectable science, and today the society--now the Royal Aeronautical Society--serves as a professional body dedicated to aerospace research. There were two fundamental areas of scientific knowledge key to the society in its initial decades: 1) a detailed understanding of the principles of bird flight, and 2) the practical application of that knowledge in the construction of flying machines. Argyll firmly belonged to the former being a well-seasoned ornithologist and theorist of flight, and, with the publication of his best-selling book The Reign of Law (1867), was one of the first to popularise the theoretical principles of bird flight. In this paper, I examine the relationship between bird and mechanical flight through Argyll's ornithological studies, with a focus on the various factors early in Argyll's life that led to his eventual position as president of the Aëronautical Society. By analysing the influence of his family relations, home environment and religious convictions, I show how Argyll’s scientific undertakings existed as part of a wider network of theistic Victorian aristocrats who contributed to the creation and professionalization of scientific disciplines in a way that contrasted markedly with the methods of many of the scientific naturalists.

1866年，英国第八航空学会成立，乔治·道格拉斯·坎贝尔（George Douglas Campbell），第八任阿盖尔公爵（1823-1900年）任第一任主席兼赞助人。该学会的目的是进一步研究空中航行，并使航空学成为一门受人尊敬的科学，如今，该学会（现为皇家航空学会）已成为致力于航空航天研究的专业机构。在最初的几十年中，社会有两个基本的科学知识领域：1）对鸟类飞行原理的详细了解，以及2）在飞行器制造中的实际应用。阿盖尔（Argyll）牢固地属于前者，是一位经验丰富的鸟类学家和飞行理论家，并且随着他最畅销的著作《法律统治》（The Reign of Law）（1867）的出版，是最早普及鸟类飞行理论原理的国家之一。在本文中，我将通过Argyll的鸟类学研究考察鸟类与机械飞行之间的关系，重点关注Argyll生命早期导致其最终担任航空学会主席的各种因素。通过分析他的家庭关系，家庭环境和宗教信仰的影响，我展示了阿盖尔的科学事业是如何作为更广泛的有神论的维多利亚贵族网络的一部分而存在的，这些人对科学学科的创建和专业化做出了显着的贡献。许多科学博物学家的方法。我通过Argyll的鸟类学研究考察了鸟类与机械飞行之间的关系，重点研究了Argyll生命早期导致其最终担任航空学会主席的各种因素。通过分析他的家庭关系，家庭环境和宗教信仰的影响，我展示了阿盖尔的科学事业是如何作为更广泛的有神论的维多利亚贵族网络的一部分而存在的，这些人对科学学科的创建和专业化做出了显着的贡献。许多科学博物学家的方法。我通过Argyll的鸟类学研究考察了鸟类与机械飞行之间的关系，重点研究了Argyll生命早期导致其最终担任航空学会主席的各种因素。通过分析他的家庭关系，家庭环境和宗教信仰的影响，我展示了阿盖尔的科学事业是如何作为更广泛的有神论的维多利亚贵族网络的一部分而存在的，这些人对科学学科的创建和专业化做出了显着的贡献。许多科学博物学家的方法。