Chapter V: Part 5

Many ladies are fine workers in repoussé, and it cannot fail to be a source of satisfaction to every one interested in the art to know, that each year its merits are becoming more fully known and appreciated by that great class of people, whose purchases govern the prices of all artistic things. Now, boys, I have simply touched upon this very interesting subject of repoussé, and given you a few directions, culled from my own experience. If, however, I have succeeded in stimulating in you a desire to pursue this subject further, you will find many excellent helps, in the form of books or pamphlets, in any of our large stores devoted to artists’ materials and supplies.

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A FRAME FOR A PLAQUE.

A fine frame for any kind of plaque, whether repoussé, porcelain, leather work, or papier-maché, can be easily made from a square piece of wood, about six inches wider than the subject to be framed; this can be beveled at the edges, or left as when sawed. In the center, with a strong pair of carpenter’s dividers describe a circle, whose diameter shall be half an inch shorter than that of the plaque. Bevel the front edge of this opening, then covering the whole front surface of this wood with thin glue, lay it, face downward upon the piece of plush or velvet, intended to cover it; the material lying flat and smooth, with its raised surface downward, upon an uncovered table. Cut the center of the cloth away, allowing enough on the edge to draw over the opening of the frame; slash this to within a short distance of the wood, that it may lay evenly when finished; now glue this firmly down upon the back, and bring over the outside edges and fix them in the same way. When this is dry, fasten in your plaque with brads driven into the back of the frame, and extending over the edge of the opening at its back. Finally, when certain all is securely fastened, wet a piece of brown paper, cut to exactly cover the entire back of plaque and frame both, cover it with paste and press it in place. It is necessary to wet the paper first, to prevent its wrinkling or forming great bubbles when dry. When the paper is dampened, a bit of paste around the edge is all that is necessary to hold it in place.

After this backing is completed, a couple of screw-eyes and a wire cord are to be added, and your plaque is ready for your walls.

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THE AQUARIUM.

The name aquarium was formerly sometimes given to a tank or cistern placed in a hot-house, and intended for the cultivation of aquatic plants; but in later years its signification has widened, so that it now embraces animals as well as plants in its category. Its use seems to have been known nearly a hundred years ago, and a number of gentlemen, in the latter part of the eighteenth century, made several successful experiments by means of this “scientific plaything,” as some writer has happily called it. The aquarium can be used for either salt or fresh water animals, the former necessitating a residence conveniently near the sea, for the purpose of occasionally replenishing it with a fresh supply of the water. It may be an ordinary globe, or it can be made of slabs of heavy glass, fastened inside an iron frame-work, with a peculiar kind of cement, made specially for the purpose. They can be obtained in different sizes at several places in New York and other cities, and as the materials in themselves are expensive, and the work of making one usually results in a series of disappointments, and finally, in total failure, the expediency of buying one ready-made cannot be too strongly urged upon the young naturalist. Although the large aquarium accommodates more inmates, the globe is much more easily cleaned, and answers equally well for a few fishes, as the one in my window will testify. As fresh-water animals and plants are more accessible to the larger proportion of boys in the country, and the globe much cheaper, while it occupies less space than the large square articles alluded to above, it may possibly not come amiss for me to give, for the benefit of those of my readers who are interested in the subject, a description of my own fresh-water aquarium, and what little experience I have derived from it.

It is a globe of ordinary shape, and has the capacity of a common water-pail. For several years it was stocked with gold-fish, but it was, moreover, a source of ceaseless anxiety and trouble. The fish would die or turn black without any apparent cause, and, still worse, would frequently have what we termed “fits” in the night, and jump out of the globe on the floor, where they would be found, cold and lifeless, in the morning.

The experiment of keeping these decidedly troublesome pets was finally given up, and the empty globe placed high and dry upon a closet shelf.

One day nearly a year ago, a young member of our household brought home three small fishes (the common dace), and begged so hard that the globe might be brought out, and converted into the family fish-pond once more, that we finally consented, and the little fishes were soon at home in our library window. Not more than a week after this, a genuine mud-turtle was added to the collection, and, strange as it may seem, these little creatures have lived at peace with each other ever since.

We covered the bottom with a few pebbles from the brook, and afterward added some sand and a handful of shells from the sea-shore.

We experimented with several species of water-plants, but were convinced that a tiny fine-leaved plant, of which I have forgotten the name, but which grows very plentifully in our northern fresh-water brooklets, and the _vallisneria Spiralis_, or common tape or eel-grass, gave the greatest satisfaction on the whole. With these little plants growing on its bottom, we are not obliged to change the water for several days at a time.

In bright sunny weather the plants give forth plenty of oxygen for the fishes to breathe. This can be readily seen by noting the little air-bubbles adhering to the leaves and stems, or rising slowly to the surface of the water; but in cloudy weather this gas-making process diminishes, so that after awhile the air becomes vitiated, and the fishes, finding it hard to breathe, are forced to swim near the top, with their heads at the surface of the water. At such times it is well to introduce fresh air into the water, by filling a cup with the water, and, holding it an inch or two above the surface, pour it slowly back into the globe; by repeating this process several times the water is made comparatively pure once more. Another and easier way of accomplishing this is by using a small syringe instead of the cup; but care must be taken in either case to avoid hitting the fish with the descending stream.

Their food consists of angle-worms and flies in summer, and bits of fresh meat cut very fine with the scissors, during the colder portions of the year.

THE SALT-WATER AQUARIUM.

The globe answers equally as well for salt as for fresh water fish, provided its inmates are not crowded and are supplied with a sufficient quantity of good sea-water. In obtaining this supply, it is desirable to have it dipped from deep water some distance from the shore, or from the channel if possible.

In preparing your globe, put a handful of gravel and sand on the bottom, then with three or four irregular stones build a cave or little arch, for the fishes to play beneath.

Although some authorities say that the aquarium should be kept in the shade, the one with which the writer was familiar through childhood always stood in a south window, which was only partially shaded by some great trees in the garden beyond.

Occasionally, on very sunny days in spring or early summer, before the leaves were fully grown, a newspaper would be placed between the glass and the window-pane, or over a corner of the top, to give the desired protection; but the tiny cavern usually supplied sufficient shade, and it was ever a source of unabating amusement to watch the little fellows swim in and out through the arches, darting now here and again there, hiding in the shadow of some moss-grown stone, to spring out a moment later upon an unsuspecting companion swimming leisurely by; their little games of hide-and-seek and of tag were very entertaining to witness, and we children would frequently find ourselves quite excited over the success or failure of our special favorite in the game.

As the aquarium of which I speak was a large one, it frequently had several inmates at the same time; among these the little nippers, or, as the dwellers along the coast of New York State call them, killie-fish—so named by the Dutch settlers from their frequenting the little kills, or inlets, along the shore—always held a conspicuous place. Indeed, these little fishes seem to be blessed with a long string of names entirely disproportionate to the size of their tiny little bodies. In some places they are known as minnows, while on the shores of the Narragansett they retain their old Indian name of Mummychog. They are a bright, lively little fish, darting through the water with such rapidity, that you hold your breath in fear lest they dash themselves against the glass at the end, but they never do; just as contact with it seems a matter of certainty, they suddenly turn a sharp angle, face about, and perhaps come to the front and peer at you through the glass, with their funny little faces pressed up close to its surface. They are of a greenish-gray color upon the back, which gradually shades to a bright silvery tone at the sides, and their eyes, which are large and staring, have a very mild, good-natured expression.

Very different from these are the sticklebacks (_Gasterosteus_), also fine subjects for the aquarium, for a more pugnacious or plucky little fellows it would be hard to find than these graceful little tyrants, which in early spring are found in our creeks and salt-water ditches in great abundance. As this is the only season of the year in which they can be captured, it is best to be on the watch for them during the last of March or the first of April. A dip-net, made of a piece of mosquito netting caught over a small hoop, and attached to a long, slender handle, is best for catching all kinds of fish for the aquarium, and the shores of bays or salt-water streams supply a greater abundance than the open sea, or the shore washed by the heavy ocean waves. If your globe is the vessel you are to use, the sticklebacks will afford you quite as much amusement as any fish you could find, for aside from their quick, lively manner, they are a very handsome fish. The male is of a rich ruddy color, his little silvery sides giving forth gleams of red or blue, which vary considerably, according to his temper. If he feels quiet and peaceful, they are pale and soft in tone, but if indignant, they become very brilliant, and the little chap with his savage, fiery eye, becomes an object of great respect and terror to all the other denizens of the water within reach of his teeth or sharp little spines. The female is less brilliantly colored than the male, is blunter in build, and has a comparatively mild disposition, leaving all little differences with other fish for her liege lord and master to settle, for which duty he is perfectly well fitted and takes great delight in performing; indeed, so quarrelsome were these little fellows, that they would soon kill all fish of other species in the tank, and when no other subject was at hand, would fall to and fight one another, biting as ugly dogs might do, and spearing with their tiny spines, till one had acquired complete supremacy over all the rest. It is very interesting to watch the process of their nest-building, and to see them, like so many lilliputian carpenters, lay the sticks and hairs in place, working as if their whole life depended upon their unceasing exertions. We used to put in bits of broom-corn split in threads, and bristles from the floor-brush, for materials; and the work of building would generally occupy three or four days. The nest was built in one corner of the box (we were obliged to keep the sticklebacks in a separate glass case, as they killed all the other fish if together) and well up on the sides, with a tiny round hole at the top for the fish to go in and out. After a short time—I do not remember now just how long—hundreds of little fish came out from the nest, and were very lively for two or three days, but in a week they were all dead, and the parents had the waters to themselves once more. We never succeeded in raising the young fish, I remember, but I do not now recall whether any reason was ever ascribed to our failure, or if it was even known.

But to go back to our large aquarium. Fortunately for us, not many fish are as quarrelsome as the sticklebacks, and most of those I shall now describe live together in perfect harmony. The young of larger fish do very nicely for a time in the aquarium, and a young eel is a rather amusing although somewhat sluggish fellow to keep.

The most amusing denizens are creatures of the crab family. The little hermit-crabs, found in quantities on any shelving beach of the bay or sea inlet, create much sport for the young naturalist. These little crabs, you must know, are soft little fellows, for whom nature in a frugal moment prepared no house or covering to protect them from the thumps they might receive from both water and stones; but the little fellows, with a shrewdness one would hardly suspect in creatures so small, rise equal to the occasion, and help themselves to the empty snail-shells left by their more fortunate neighbors. When small they occupy the little black snail-shells, moving from a smaller to a larger as they increase in size. After outgrowing these plainer homes they take possession of the pretty grayish-white shells also found in abundance on our shores. It is frequently quite amusing to watch two fight over a particularly desirable one, which either has chosen for its own, and ofttimes the battle will be long and heavy before either will give up that which he considers by rights his own. If you have one or more of these little wanderers in your globe, remember to put in two or three empty snail-shells for them to flee to when they have outgrown their present abode. Their manner of eating affords a very entertaining spectacle. Clams, either soft or hard, cut into tiny bits, form the principal food for all the dwellers in the aquarium, and a long stick with a needle driven in one end, to form a tiny spear, is used in passing it to them. When a particular crab is to be fed, a bit of clam is taken up on the needle, and lowered down in the water to a position directly in front of him. At first, before he has become acquainted with this mode of dining, he draws in his claws, and nothing but the shell is to be seen upon the bottom; but in a few moments the little fellow lets himself out again, little by little, with a quick, jerky movement, till at last his two little eyes stand in an upright position, and he is ready to seize the tempting morsel. This he does with his longest claw, and holding the clam firm in his grasp, he proceeds to pick it in pieces with the other long claw, and pass it along to the smaller set, which in turn give it to the next in order, until it finally disappears in the mouth itself, and is swallowed by the little creature.

It is important to have two or three snails in your globe to act as scavengers, and keep the water free from the refuse which would otherwise remain on the bottom. These little creatures are often seen moving slowly along on the surface of the glass, feeding upon the green moss or confervæ which accumulates so quickly on all the objects under water. The pipe-fish, a peculiarly shaped specimen, comparatively rare on our Atlantic coast, is worthy a place in your collection; and the shrimp, the acrobat of the aquarium, whose funny little backward movements, when the poor little fellow is frightened, create so much laughter among the little folks, must not be forgotten. Young scallops are very pretty, and when left undisturbed open their shells a trifle, disclosing a beautiful fringe of tiny blue tentacles which wave to and fro with every motion of the water.

The medusæ, also called jelly-fish, with their umbrella-like cover, and long, slender tentacles streaming downward, are pretty for a time, but do not live long after they are taken from the sea. The Cydippe and the Beroe are very lovely specimens of this class, the former particularly is noticeable for its beautiful iridescent colors. The beautiful orange colored medusa is an unsafe inmate, as he very soon kills all the fishes within his reach.

If it is possible, obtain one or more of the beautiful sea-anemones, and add it to your globe; the large, bright-colored members of this class are only to be found in the tropics, but very pretty, delicate specimens are sometimes found in our northern waters, where a rock or bit of stonework is constantly washed over by a swift current. If possible, it is better to take the stone on which they rest, as it is almost impossible to remove them from its surface without killing them. This was, however, done several times with success, and the anemones lived in our aquarium as long as they could be expected to exist in perfectly quiet water. When these creatures are at rest or frightened they draw down into little shapeless masses; but when looking for food they stretch up again, and expand on the top of the long stalk, as we may call it, a beautiful flower-like head, resembling an aster in form, and of a deep brownish-yellow color. When food is passed down to this animated blossom, it will fold its little tentacles one by one around it, and pass it down into its mouth, open to receive it, but which is entirely hidden by the beautiful petals of this delicate flower.

All of you have probably noticed the serpulæ, or worm-like excrescences often seen upon oyster and other hard shells. If one of these shells be taken from the water and immediately placed on the bottom of your aquarium, after a few days, when the little animals feel quite at home, they send out of one end of their slender tubes bunches of the loveliest, delicate brown fern-like feelers, which sway about in the water like the beautiful roadside ferns in a gentle summer breeze.

But in the salt as in the fresh water aquarium, vegetation is necessary for a healthful condition of the inmates. Here we see on a miniature scale that wonderful balance of organic forces which exists on the larger globe around us. The vegetation exhales the purifying oxygen, which renders the water fit for sustaining animal life; the fishes and other animals in their turn give forth the carbonic-acid gas, which is equally needed for the healthful development of the plants; while, last of all, the snails—those little scavengers nature has so wisely provided—remove such minute portions of decaying matter as might otherwise pass unnoticed, and so contaminate the entire water in the globe.

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THE WOODEN WINDMILL.

So common were these little toys among the companions of my childhood, that it seemed almost superfluous to insert what I supposed every boy must be familiar with; but upon questioning my young friends, I find that very few of them away from the sea-coast towns of New England, and the sailor-like influence or atmosphere which permeates them, know anything of the pretty little windmills, or weather-vanes, which we copied from those of our sailor friends.

It was no uncommon thing in those days for some boy less ingenious than his companions to use a little strategy, and so get his work done for him by proxy; and the manner in which he would proceed was generally something like this: Early some bright spring morning, with jackknife and shingle in hand, he would saunter down to the wharf, upon which he knew at an early hour the old sea captains of the village would assemble, and wait his chance. Here the old captains, and the sailors, who by reason of their advanced age took the same honorary title, were wont to gather on the sunny side of the weather-beaten old store-house, and watch from under their heavy gray eyebrows the bay stretched out before them, while they enjoyed their pipes, and lived over again the wonderful adventures and disasters of their successive voyages; and here he would watch for his prey, little suspected by those kindly old souls, who had, years long gone by, ruled with iron will over the crews and destinies of great ships, known to him only by their names. Occasionally two or three would arrive at the wharf together, and he knew his chances were gone for that day at least; but usually some one, whose breakfast may not have claimed as much attention as usual, would be seen making his way down the quiet village street, easily recognized by his rolling gait, his inseparable pipe, and manner of scanning the clouds and horizon. Now our friend would begin to whittle in earnest, soon attracting the attention of the ancient mariner by his awkward movements. Of course, he would receive no end of ridicule for his stupidity; but as that did not sink very deep in his boyish soul, he was prepared to pay a greater price, if necessary, for the work he expected to receive. It not unfreqently happened that the old fellow would take the shingle to show him how to begin, and would get so much interested in the work that he would offer to do it during the day, and would actually whittle away on the little boat, while he or one of his companions related for the fiftieth time how the _Nautilus_ passed through so many hair-breadth escapes, and finally reached port at last, with no soul missing and cargo untouched.

It was during these long voyages, when time hung heavily on their hands, that they acquired their skill in fashioning these mechanical toys, which almost always had for their motive power the wind or the waves.

The simplest form of windmill from this source I remember seeing is very easily constructed. It is made from an oblong piece of wood like Fig. 1. Through the center of this bore a hole, _a_, for the pivot upon which it will finally turn, and mark the two lines at _b_. Now, commencing at the point _b_, cut off the corner, _b c_, and make the surface flat as in Fig. 2; then cut off the opposite side of the other end, indicated in Fig. 1 by the dotted lines _d e_, in a like manner. Your figure will now resemble Fig. 2, and both ends will form a prism like _b c d e f_; but _b c d e_ should be a thin flat blade, so the corner or edge, commencing at _f_, should be cut down in the same manner that _e d_ was treated in Fig. 1. Make the other blade to correspond and chamfer out the middle, or square piece, as seen in Fig. 3. This middle piece is not a square, although I have spoken of it as such, but is oblong, to allow room for another two-bladed piece made precisely like this to interlock with it. When these two pieces are fitted together, fasten them with one or more nails, and then insert the small round stick upon which the windmill is to turn. Fig. 4 shows an arrangement by which two windmills are operated on the same stick. These should turn in opposite directions to make them effective, and this is easily accomplished by simply cutting the vanes of the one so that the wind shall strike it at an angle opposite to that with which it strikes the other. Should you care to decorate them in colors, it had best be done by painting bands or stripes across each vane, all to correspond with each other in width and shade. For instance, take the windmill in Fig. 4; let the outside bands be of chrome yellow and one inch wide; the next red and two inches wide; while the third yellow, and the fourth blue, should each be an inch in width. The axis should have a greater diameter where the larger revolves upon it, but should be cut smaller where it meets the back of the little windmill. Nails in front and back of the larger, and front of the smaller, are necessary to keep them in place.

Perhaps the most satisfactory way of arranging such a windmill is to place it on the end of a weather-vane, as shown in Fig. 5. It is then always presented to the wind. The vane and the windmill may be painted the same color, or the latter may be decorated in stripes, as before described, and the vane given a color which will harmonize with it. Care must be exercised to fasten each part strongly in place, as the strain is very great during a strong wind or in a storm.

THE SCREW-PROPELLER; OR, WEATHER-VANE AND WINDMILL COMBINED.

Take a piece of board, seven-eighths of an inch thick, and large enough to make a vessel of the size you desire. Cut out a hull like that in the illustration. Make a small windmill like that just described, but with rounded ends to the vanes, like that represented in Fig. 2. Pass a strong wire through the hole in the center, and drive it into the stern of Fig. 1; fasten the other end into the rudder, which should be stationary. Be careful when planning your vessel to allow sufficient room for the windmill to revolve below the over hang. Bore a hole at a for the pivot to rest in, upon which the weather-vane is to turn, and insert the two masts in their proper places. Cut a small mizzen-sail from thin board and nail it to the mast.

The flags are of red and blue flannel, the stays of copper or galvanized wire, and the bowsprit a small stick, cut from a tough bit of wood. This propeller may be painted to suit the fancy, but usually is black, with a narrow yellow or white stripe near the top. The lower third is frequently painted green, however, which adds considerably to its nautical appearance. The windmill should be a bright red, and the entire vessel should have plenty of time to dry before being placed in its final position.

THE SIDE-WHEELER.

Another, and very pretty windmill, which can be easily constructed by a boy, is in the form of a steam-boat, the paddles of which are always presented to the wind by the position of the boat itself. Cut out of a seven-eighths of an inch board a hull like that seen in the illustration, and make the hole for the pivot at the middle point between bow and stern; bore another hole just aft of this for the axle of the paddle-wheels. Out of thin wood cut two circular disks for these wheels, and dovetail the paddles into their edges as seen in Fig. 2. Next cut out two half circles of your thin wood for paddle-boxes, and bore a hole in each for the axle of the wheels. These are to shield the upper half of the wheels from the wind. Now take a piece of tin, in shape like Fig. 3, and wide enough to accommodate the wheels on either side, and nail it to the edges of the paddle-boxes, as seen in the figure; the ends, _a_, are to be nailed upon the deck of the steamer, and answer the purpose of keeping these boxes in position. Paint this boat black and green, the latter occupying the lower third of the hull, while a narrow line of yellow or white around the top relieves the somberness of the upper part. The paddle-boxes should be black, with narrow lines of light red radiating from a small semicircular figure of the same color near the bottom. This boat should also be fitted with a small mizzen-sail, made of tin or thin board, and painted white. The top of the paddle-boxes is buff or light yellow, and the wheels or windmills are a bright red.

In this steam-boat, a “dummy” walking-beam, cut out of a single piece of thin wood, can be added if desired, and should be painted in solid black, or, if liked, it can be striped like that in the “Toy Steam-boat,” elsewhere described in this book. The smoke-stack in this, as well as the screw-propeller, should be nailed in place before the first painting.

If you should care to take the trouble, the walking-beam can be made to move by simply cutting away the hull between the paddle-boxes, to allow the crank to turn in, and bending the axle of the wheels in the form of the crank described in the “Toy Steam-boat.” A long slit must also be cut in the tin cover of the paddle-boxes, to allow of the play of the connecting-rod. Small flags of bright-colored strong cloth can be placed in the proper places if desired, and really add considerable to the bright, pretty effect when first made; but as they are soon ruined by the combined influences of sun, rain, and wind, they are hardly desirable, unless the boat is in some position where it can be easily reached, and the little flags changed for new ones, as they become faded or torn.

THE REGATTA WINDMILL.

Take two sticks of wood, about three feet long, and one inch in diameter; fasten them together at their central points, so that their arms shall be at right angles with each other (see Fig. 1); and bore a large hole through the point of intersection. From shingles cut out four boats, each eight inches long, and fit them with masts; next cut from strong new cloth four small triangular pieces for sails, and sew them to the masts; fasten the lower corner by a strong bit of cord to the stern, as seen in Fig. 2; then cut a small flag from red flannel and nail it to the top of the mast. You can paint these boats if you like, and also the cross-pieces upon which they are finally nailed. Care must be taken that they all head the same way. Observe their positions in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows the affair finished and mounted on its pole. Place them in as high a position as possible, so that they may catch the breeze from all directions.

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A BOY’S SOLAR MICROSCOPE.

The microscope is, as every boy knows, an optical instrument, which enables us to see and examine objects which are too small to be seen by the naked eye. The arrangement of the solar microscope is similar to that of the magic lantern, the sun taking the place of the limelight usually employed. In this form of the magic lantern, two difficulties are to be overcome; one, the necessarily fixed position of the instrument; and the other, the very inconvenient habit the sun has of constantly changing his position; so that it would be impossible to adjust the lens without the aid of a mirror, to throw sufficient light in upon the object to be examined. Both of these obstacles are surmounted in the simple arrangement of the solar microscope here described.

First make a strong frame of wood, seven-eighths of an inch in thickness, that will exactly fit in the lower half of the window when the sash is thrown up; and in the middle of this fit an upright board a foot wide, which has a hole cut in its center ten inches in diameter. Fasten it strongly in place by four nails driven through the frame, and well into the ends of the boards, or, if more convenient, by long screws inserted in the same places. Fig. 1 shows the position of the board _a_, also that of the nails _b_. The open spaces, _c_, are to be closed by several thicknesses of brown paper pasted or tacked across on the inside of the frame. The upper part of the window must also be closed, so that no ray of light shall enter the room, except through the hole _d_.

Before proceeding further, it may be well to remark, that, as perhaps the largest part of the work is the cutting of no less than seven circular holes of various sizes, through as many pieces of board, a scroll-saw will be found an almost indispensable aid to the construction of this apparatus. Also, that the window in which this microscope is used must necessarily have a southern exposure.

In Fig. 2 we have a disk of half-inch wood, twelve inches in diameter, with an opening in the center four inches across, to hold the condensing lens, _a_; _b_ is a mirror five inches wide and ten inches long, turning on an axis which passes through the supports, _c c_, the latter being attached to the disk. These supports should be long enough to admit of the mirror turning entirely around without touching the disk, and are fastened in place by screws passing through the disk and into their ends. When the mirror is in place, cut the slit _d_ parallel with the edge of the mirror, for the wire _e_ to pass through. The manner of attaching the wire to the back of the mirror is seen in Fig. 3. The back is first covered with paper to prevent its scratching; then the wire is bent and laid in place, and lastly, a piece of very strong paper is pasted over the wire and entire back, and caught down over the edge of the front, forming a narrow frame to the glass; the ends of this wire should pass through rather small holes in _c c_, so that it will not turn easily out of position. A handle (see _f_, Fig. 4) should be placed on the other side of the disk, and just across the lens from the slit _d_.

Next take two pieces of wood, fifteen inches square and half an inch thick; in the center of one cut a hole twelve inches in diameter, while in that of the other cut another round hole only ten inches across. In Fig. 4, which represents a section of this microscope, _g_ is the central board of the screen, marked _a_ in Fig. 1; _h_ is the piece you have just made, with the central opening twelve inches in diameter; and _i_ is the second piece, which measures fifteen inches square, but has a hole of only ten inches diameter in its center; _d_, which has a dotted surface, to distinguish it from the frame-work, is the large disk (Fig. 2), which, you remember, is just twelve inches in diameter, and, consequently, will exactly fit the opening in _h_; if these edges are rough, sand-paper both with a coarse quality first, finishing them off with a finer kind. When _d_ is in position, and moves easily but not loosely in _h_, place _i_ over it and fasten it in place with screws, passing through _i_ into _h_; but _h_, of course, must first be strongly nailed or screwed upon _g_.

You will now see that by turning the handle, _f_, the position of the mirror, which is fastened to this disk, can be easily changed so that it shall face in any direction, while by drawing the wire, _e_, it can be turned so as to reflect the sun’s rays through the lens, _a_, from whatever quarter of the heavens it may be shining. This double adjustment of the mirror and lens enables you to throw the rays of the sun through the opening in upon the object, _o_, at any hour of the day. As the mirror is adjusted in Fig. 4, the sun must be very low, as its rays, to strike the mirror, would necessarily be nearly horizontal.

The lens, _a_, should be held in place by two pieces of whalebone, bent around on either side of it, at the edge of the opening in _d_; this lens is four inches in diameter, and has a focal length of nine or ten inches; its adjustment had better be left till everything else in the microscope has been finished. Fig. 5 shows the appearance of this when completed.

As the outer part of the work is fitted, we will now turn our attention to the other, or inner, side of the screen. In Fig. 4, the board _j_ is eighteen inches long by ten inches wide, and half-an-inch thick. In the middle is a small circular hole, one and one-half inches in diameter. This is fastened to the middle board, _g_, by the four horizontal posts, _p_, each six inches long.

Now take a square piece of half-inch board, five inches across, cut a circular hole two inches in diameter in the middle, and fit into this hole a pasteboard tube four inches long, which is painted black on the inside. The edge of the circular hole in _j_ should also be black. In Fig. 6, which represents this board, you will notice two cleats, _l l_, fastened to the back of _k_; these are also made of half-inch wood, and are five inches long by one wide. In Fig. 4, the position of _k_ and _l_ is seen in connection with the longer piece, _j_; the center of the openings in _j_ and _k_ should form one and the same horizontal line. The opening between _l_ and _l_ is for the glass slides upon which the objects to be examined are placed.

After these parts are fastened in their proper places, make a pasteboard tube, with a black inner surface, as represented at _n_, about four inches in length, and inclose in one end two lenses, each one and one-half inches in diameter, and each having a focal length of four inches. Fit this tube in the one marked _m_. Now, having everything in place, fit in the lens, _a_, so that it will send the rays of light directly through the hole in _j_ upon the object in _l_, and fasten it securely in place with your bent whalebones.

The screen upon which the image is thrown can be the opposite whitewashed surface of the room, if by a proper adjustment of the tubes the image can be made distinct, or it can be a sheet stretched over a frame-work of light wood; the latter is preferable, as it can be more easily brought in focus. Of course, in this form, as in any other “magic lantern,” the nearer the screen to the lantern, the longer the tubes _m n_; but the image, which is smaller, gains in brilliancy of illumination, while with these conditions reversed, the results are the opposite; a larger image, but less bright in appearance. The same light being spread over a larger surface is necessarily less strong.

SOME OBJECTS FOR THIS MICROSCOPE.

The objects which can be examined by aid of this instrument are many in number, and can be readily prepared by simply inserting them between two pieces of glass, sufficiently small to slide in the opening _l l_, and pasting bits of brown paper over the edges to hold them in place.

In this manner the legs of flies and mosquitoes, the heads of the latter with their venomous sting; hairs of the dog and cat, also from the human head; tiny sections of human skin; down from the butterfly’s wing, obtained by dusting off a few of the tiny particles upon a glass plate; the pollen from different flowers; spores of the puff-ball and tiny grains of dust, all make very interesting subjects for study, when magnified and thrown upon the screen in the darkened room.

One of the most interesting experiments with this form of the magic lantern is made by throwing the image of a drop of some solution, like sulphate of copper, upon the screen, and watching the process of its crystallization; sulphate of copper and of iron; hyposulphite of soda, which latter may be colored by adding a very little permanganate of potash to the solution.

The eels in a drop of vinegar, drops of stagnant water, and the larvæ of the mosquito are also interesting objects, when viewed by the aid of this powerful magnifier.

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SEA-MOSSES.

No boy who has lived on our coast, or, indeed, who has spent much time near the sea, could have failed to notice and admire the beautiful feathery mosses which sway about so gracefully under the surface of the water. The most delicate mosses are not found upon the open sea-beach, but in the more sheltered bays and inlets near the coast, and one who has never given them especial attention cannot fail to be impressed by the great variety of form and color to be found within a small space of water. Ranging in color from the palest pink or straw to the deepest purple or brown, and from the lightest sea-green to the darkest shade of olive, they are capable of being arranged in most beautiful bits of coloring, while the delicate, fine specimens, united with the coarser varieties, add to the effectiveness of the whole. To gather and arrange these mosses is not as difficult a task as most people imagine. Any boy can, with a little care, make a fine collection, which would be valued very highly by some inland friend who cannot reach the sea-shore every year, or perhaps not more than once or twice in a lifetime. If any of you, my boy readers, have any such friend, do not fail to collect a quantity of the mosses common to the waters near you, and arrange them on cards for their preservation. In gathering your mosses have an old tin can filled with water in the bottom of the boat, and after detaching from the stones, throw them immediately into the can. When you get home they can be left in the can of salt water over night, if you have not the time to attend to them at once; or they may be put into a basin of fresh water, and left for awhile to wash away the salt and sand that remains on them. When they seem perfectly clean, take two or three carefully up on a bit of paper and throw them into a basin of clean water.

Now the delicate part of the process is reached. Have a number of square pieces of unglazed paper at hand—ribbon paper is very good for the purpose—and thrust them carefully into the water under the bit of moss you desire to take out. With a long, slender darning-needle carefully arrange the tiny filaments, so that they shall form a graceful composition, and raise the card carefully from the water. It is not necessary to exercise as much care with the coarser “silver mosses,” as their more wiry branchlets naturally assume graceful positions, and the water flowing from the surface of the card does not so easily disarrange their positions. When all the mosses have been taken up on cards, fasten each to a table or shelf to dry. This is done by driving a pin through one corner of the card into the edge of the shelf or table, and allowing it to remain undisturbed until both the moss and paper are perfectly dry. They may now be mounted upon cards prepared for the purpose, and their names, with the locality where they were found, neatly written beneath; or they may be preserved in a case or frame.

The illustrations show two different arrangements of sea-mosses for the frame. In the first, that seen in Fig. 1, they are glued upon a background of fine white cardboard, one layer superimposed above another, until they extend forward from the card for an inch or more. Their stems are finally covered by a small, well-striped scallop-shell which has been washed clean and varnished. It is perhaps needless to add that the effect is very pretty. The “silver mosses” are best adapted for this arrangement.

The design given in Fig. 2 is quite grotesque in its appearance, and appeals rather more to the average boy’s taste than the former arrangement. Red and brown mosses are used entirely, unless the effect seems too somber, in which case a little “silver moss” may be introduced on the back to lighten it a trifle.

Tiny baskets, made of pretty scallop-shells nicely fitted together and varnished, are often filled with the coarser varieties of moss, and are very pretty; but if they are unprotected from the dust they are soon destroyed, and unless covered with a glass case or inverted thin plain glass tumbler, they hardly pay for the trouble of making.

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ANTIQUES AND HORRIBLES.

This is another of the mechanical toys which was common during my childhood. The whole affair is so simple that a small boy could make it, in a less finished form at least, and the most sullen little fellow in all the land could not fail to be amused by the grotesque procession of clowns and hobgoblins, kings and countrymen, birds and fishes and animals, whose names no naturalist could tell, and whose like was never seen on this earth before. This procession travels on and on, as long as the crank is turned. The above illustration gives some idea of a few of the many members of the band, but any boy at all ingenious, will see that he has a variety—the more grotesque and outlandish the better the effect. Fig. 2 shows a section of the machinery; the box-like covering is removed, and the frame-work exposed to view. First procure a board, _a_, about twenty by eight inches; next two rollers upon which the band is to turn, for you must have seen that these little images are made of thin cardboard, attached to an endless band of strong cloth. These rollers should be rather larger than broomsticks, and held in place by four uprights, _c_. Only two of these can be seen in the cut. A table, _d e_, extends between the rollers and is supported by four legs, _f_, which should be of sufficient length to make the top, _d e_, come just below the upper section of the band, _g g_ are boards, the same width as the bottom, _a_, and of sufficient height to make a good foundation for the top, and to allow free passage of the procession. None of the figures should be much over three inches in height, and none should be attached to the cloth in more than one place; that is, by only one foot, as they would be unavoidably torn in passing over the rollers if more firmly fixed. The top and front are of pasteboard, and the whole exposed surface is covered with pretty wall-paper. On the right roller at the back end, fix a small crank, or handle, and the machine is started by turning this. When about to give a grand exhibition, be careful to turn in the right direction, and not set the whole procession running backward, as you might easily do if unobserving or forgetful. The images are much more amusing if painted in bright colors. Use plenty of blue, red, yellow, black, and white paint, with a touch here and there of rich green and purple; and you may perhaps almost make your audience believe that Fourth of July is here again, and they are viewing the “Antiques and Horribles” through the large end of a spy-glass.

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THE MUSICAL CHICKENS.

One of the most pleasing toys for children, which may be counted among those made by boys themselves, is this little coop of chickens. Make a box like Fig. 1, leaving off the top and back boards until the works are placed within it. The little bars which separate the chickens are thin strips of wood. In Fig. 2, _a_ represents one of the chickens, which is also made of thin wood and painted yellow; a hole is made at _b_, to allow the passage of a strong stiff wire, upon which the chickens turn, and by which they are also kept in place. At the end, _c_, of each, a strong piece of linen thread is tied through a small hole bored for the purpose, and each line is caught to a separate nail, driven in the bottom of the box, just below the chicken, in such a manner that when it is drawn tightly in place it will just touch the roller _d_. Fig. 1 shows just where each chicken is placed, and how far their heads protrude through the bars. The ends of the wire, _b_, which holds them in place, can be fastened on one side by simply pushing one end into a hole bored partly through the wood to receive it; the other should be slipped into a groove made for it, and fastened in place by a wedge nailed just above it when in position. Fig. 3 shows the roller in full, and the little blocks or cams which are placed along its surface. These little cams are made of wood, not more than three-eighths of an inch thick, and are placed at such distances from each other along the roller that the middle point of each shall come opposite one of the threads.

Between these blocks, but so situated that they will not come in contact with any one of the threads, are little quills, driven into tiny gashes made in the roller. These quills are an inch long, and should all be of the same length. One end of the roller is fitted with a crank, while the other is fastened in place by a wooden pin or long nail. Below this, at either end of the box, is a curved bridge, _e_, into which grooves are cut and slender brass wires drawn very tightly, as seen in a violin. The curve made by the wires, however, is unlike that in the above-named instrument, being concave instead of convex. Now it will be seen that by placing the roller in such a position that the quills will strike the wires with some force as the wheel revolves, a constant tinkling sound like that of a toy piano is the result; and at the same time, as the little blocks come in contact with the strings, they push the thread backward, and in so doing lower the point _c_, and consequently raise the head of the chicken. The top of the extension in front of the bars is made of thin board and painted green, while a slight sprinkling of yellow over its surface represents the meal the chickens are supposed to be eating. The remainder of the box may be painted to suit the fancy of the maker.

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CAPTAIN S.’S PEG PUZZLE.

One bright summer morning, which seems but a short while ago, unless I stop and count the years that have passed since then, we children were invited to take a sail across the bay with one of the kind-hearted old captains who owned a trim little cat-boat, which her owner was wont to boast would beat any other craft of her length in the harbor. But there was not much chance of beating anything on the morning of which I write, for, although a light northerly breeze was stirring when we intended to start, the girls of our party took so much time in which to get ready, that by the time we were fairly under way we were scarcely able to fill our sail. However, we managed to make some little headway, and in the course of two hours reached the beautiful rocky point covered with its grove of fine old trees, which, but for the delay in starting, would have been reached much earlier in the day. This point was quite a favorite spot for excursionists, and was hailed with delight by most of our party. We boys, however, cared more for the little _Sea Dog_, and the companionship of old Captain S., than for the walks on shore. So, claiming our full share of the good things packed in the baskets stowed away in the cabin, we decided to remain on board and share our picnic with the captain on the bay.