[Illustration: QUADRIGA FOR THE NEW HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, AT VIENNA.]
The new House of Parliament at Vienna is known as one of the finest
specimens of pure Greek architecture erected in this century; and
throughout the entire building great pains have been taken to ornament
the same as elaborately as is consistent with good taste. The main
buildings are provided with corner pavilions, the atticas of which
project over the roofs, and these atticas and other parts of the
buildings are to be surmounted by quadrigas, one of which is shown in
the annexed cut, taken from the _Illustrirte Zeitung_. This group was
modeled by V. Pilz, of Vienna, and represents a winged goddess in a
chariot drawn by four spirited steeds harnessed abreast. She holds a
wreath in her raised right hand, and her left hand is represented as
holding the lines for guiding the horses. The group is full of expression
and life, and will add greatly to the beauty of the building to be
surmounted by it.
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The strongest wood in the United States, according to Professor Sargent,
is that of the nutmeg hickory of the Arkansas region, and the weakest the
West Indian birch _(Rur seva_). The most elastic is the tamarack, the
white or shellbark hickory standing far below it. The least elastic and
the lowest in specific gravity is the wood of the _Ficus aurea_. The
highest specific gravity, upon which in general depends value as fuel, is
attained by the bluewood of Texas _(Condalia obovata_).
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