The:Ameri6An:Boys •Handy:Book' BY XC.BearAi NEW EDITION. ^rk J^ es bner]s^ Sons.y% 1920 Copyright by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1882, 1890 Copyright by D. C. BEARD SPECIAL NOTICE The publishers hereby give warning that the unauthorized printing of any portion of the text of this book) and the reproduction of any of thf U|\i$U9tioo> or diagrams, are expressly fbriH4dMb PREFACE TO NEW EDITION. The exceedingly kind reception given the first edition of ;his book by the public and the whole press of the country is most gratifying to the author ; but what pleases him still more is the knowledge that he contributes to the pleasure of the boys of America, the boys who soon will be the men of America, upon whom will rest the destiny of this great country. Some years have quietly slipped by since the first edition ot this book was published. Monad, the little dog whose portrait adorns Chapter XXIV., no longer accompanies his master, "seat- ed in front of the sliding-seat of a shell," on his rowing expedi- tions, but is content to lie on the door-mat and sleep away the summer days. The German carp, described on page 52, still "browses all day upon the mossy surface of the rocks" in the same aquarium it then occupied, but, unlike the dog, it shows no signs of old age ; best of all, wherever the author travels, he sees some of the American Boys' Handy-Book suggestions carried out by the boys, either in the kites soaring overhead, the Man Friday or Crusoe rafts moored by the lake or river side, the home-made aquariums in the north windows of dwell- ings, or in the very toys patented and sold by enterprising ii Preface to New Edition. dealers upon the streets of the big cities. It is worth writing a book to see these results, and with the hope that this revised edition may contain something new or useful to the boys, the writer dedicates it to them. As it has been demonstrated that there are great numbers of "old boys" among the readers of this book, all of whom clamor for more material on woodcraft, it appears only just that some attention should be paid them, especially if this can be done without interfering with the vested rights of the younger generation. This reason, combined with a desire to help per- petuate a detailed account of what must, in a short time, inevi- tably become a lost art, has induced the writer to add the de- scription of the manufacture of the birch-bark and dug-out canoes. Trusting that these additions will not be resented as an in- trusion by the younger readers, and that they will be of interest to the older ones, they are offered as, in the author's opinion, the best and most practical contributions to woodcraft that he has found since the AMERICAN BoYS' Handy-Book was first published.. PREFACE Unless boys have materially changed their habits in the last few years, it matters little what the preface of this book may contain, for it will be *' skipped ** without a passing glance. Still, in the estabHshed order of things, a preface, even if unno- ticed by younger readers, is necessary to enable the author to state his purposes in undertaking the work, and to modestly put forward his claims on public attention. It is the memory of the longing, that used to possess my- self and my boy friends of a few years ago, for a real prac- tical American boy's book, that has induced me to offer this volume. The sports, amusements, and games embraced in this book are intended to reach the average American boy of any age, not too young to fly a kite or too old to enjoy a day's good fishing. The book is based upon personal experiments and expe- riences, and is free, as far as lay within my power to make it, of foreign or technical terms or phrases. Well do I remember the impracticable chemical experi- ments, necessitating professional skill and the use of compli- iv Preface. cated and expensive apparatus, the impossible feats of leger* demain and the time-worn conundrums, riddles, and games that help to make up the contents of the boy*s books of my youth. Unfamiliar and foreign terms, references to London shops as places to procure the articles mentioned, glittering generali- ties, and a general disregard for details are the marked charac- teristics of the books to which I refer. Never shall I forget the disappointment experienced, when after consulting the index, I sought the article on paper bal- loons and found only the bare statement of the fact that bal- loons made of paper and filled with heated air would ascend. If I remember aright, the whole description occupies less than four lines. Although the greater portion of the contents of the present volume has never been published before, some of it appeared as short articles in the St. Nicholas Magazine ; and the direc- tions and descriptions then given have been tested by thou- sands of boys throughout the United States, and, judging from the letters I have received, with uniform success. Of course, such a book cannot, in the nature of things, be exhaustive, nor is it, indeed, desirable that it should be. Its use and principal purpose are to stimulate the ihventive facul- ties in boys, to bring them face to face with practical emergen- cies when no book can supply the place of their own common sense and the exercise of personal intelligence and ingenuity. Many new ideas will suggest themselves to the practical, ready-witted American boy, many simplifications and improve Preface. ments on the apparatus here described ; but it is hoped and expected by the author that the directions here given, as far as they go, will be found intelligible and practicable. Nor is the volume, as is too often the case with this class of books, only to be made use of by lads with an almost unlim- ited supply of money at their disposal. All apparatus described are either to be constructed of material easily obtained by almost any boy without cost, or by a very small outlay. The author would also suggest to parents and guardians that money spent on fancy sporting apparatus, toys, etc., would be better spent upon tools and appliances. Let boys make their own kites and hows and arrows ; they will find a double pleasure in them, and value them accord- ingly, to say nothing of the education involved in the success- ful construction of their home-made playthings. The development of a love of harmless fun is itself no value- less consideration. The baneful and destroying pleasures that offer themselves with an almost irresistible fascination to idle and unoccupied minds find no place with healthy activity and hearty interest in boyhood sports. CONTENTS. SPRING. CHAPTER I. PAGB Kite Time 3 Man Kite, 5; The Woman Kite, 9; A Boy Kite, 11 ; Frog Kite, il ; , ^ The Butterfly Kite, 13 ; The King Crab Kite, 14 ; Fish Kite, 15 ; The Turtle Kite, 16; The Shield Kite, 18; A Star Kite, 19; The Chi- nese Dragon Kite, 19; The Japanese Square Kite, 21 ; The Moving Star, 21. CHAPTER II. War Kites 23 ^ : Unarmed War Kite, 23; Armed Kites, 24; Armed Kite Fighting, 35 ; How to Make the Knives, 25 ; How to Make Cutters, 26 ; Kite Clubs, 27. CHAPTER III. Novel Modes of Fishing * 2?- The Bell Pole, 28 ; Jugging for Cats, 29 ; The Dancing, Fisherman, 31 ; Toy Boats for Fishing, 32 ; The Wooden Otter, 33 ; Fishing for Fresh- Water Clams, 33. CHAPTER IV. Home-Made Fishing Tackle sfi The Rod, 36 ; Tin and Spool Reel, 37 ; The Forked Stick Reel, 38 ; Home-Made Nets, 39 ; A Home-Made Minnow Bucket, 42 ; Inhabi- tants of the Water, 43. viii Contents, CHAPTER V. PAGB How TO Stock, Make, and Keep a Fresh- Water Aquarium 44 Stocking, 53 ; The Frog, 54 ; Gold-Fish versus Bass, 56 ; Aquarium Cement, 57. CHAPTER VI. How to Keep Aquatic Plants in the House or Flower-Oarden.., 58 Water-Lily, 58; Cat-Tails, 60. CHAPTER VII. How to Stock and Keep a Marine Aquarium 61 Cement for Marine Aquaria, 62. CHAPTER VIII. How to Collect for Marine Aquarium ,, ^'^ SUMMER. CHAPTER IX. Knots, Bends, and Hitches 71 How to Make a Horse-Hair Watch-Guard, 74 ; Miscellaneous, 75 ; Whip- Lashes, 78 ; Splices, Timber- Hitches, etc., 78. CHAPTER X. The Water-Telescope S3 How to Make a Wooden Water-Telescope, 83 ; A Tin Water-Telescope, 84. CHAPTER XI. D'^EDGE, Tangle, and Trawl Fishing , . ... $fi A New Sport, 86 ; The Tangle, 88 ; The Trawl, 88 ; How to Make a Bake- Pan Dredge, 89 ; A Tin-Pail Dredge, 90 ; How to Make a Broom- stick Tangle, 91 ; The Old Chain Tangle, 91 ; Hints and Suggestions to Amateurs, 91; The Use of the Tangle,. 93. Contents. ix CHAPTER XII. PACK Home-Made Boats 95 Birth of the *' Man-Friday" Gatamaran; The Crusoe Raft, 95; The Crusoe Raft, 97 ; The Scow, loi ; A Floating Camp, or the Boy's Own Fiat-Boat, 105 ; The Yankee Pine, 113. CHAPTER XIII. How TO Rig and Sail Small Boats 118 Simplest Rig Possible, 122; Leg-of-Mutton Rig, 124; The Latteen Rig, 126; The Cat Rig, 127 ; How to Make a Sail, 128 ; Hints to Beginners, 128. CHAPTER XIV. Novelties in Soap-Bubbles 132 Every Boy his own Bubble- Pipe, 132. CHAPTER XV. Fourth of July Balloons, with New and Novel Attachments 136 CHAPTER XVI. How to Camp Out without a Tent 148 Hints to Amateur Campers, 159; Provisions, 159; Shelter, 159; Choosing Companions, 160. CHAPTER XVII. Bird Singers, Etc i6i The Block Bird Singer, 161; The Corn-stalk Fiddle, 162; The Pumpkin- vine Fife, 163; A Pumpkin-vine Flute, 163; Cane Fife, 163; The Voice Disguiser, 164; The Locust Singer, 164; The Hummer, 166. CHAPTER XVIII. Bird Nesting 167 How to Collect and Preserve Eggs, 167 ; Birds* Nests, 169 ; Preserving Nests, 170. Contents, CHAPTER XIX. PAGB How TO Rear Wild Birds 171 Robins, Thrushes, Wrens, and other Small Buds, 171 ; Squabs, 172; The Cow Blackbird, 172; Wrens, Sparrows, and Finches, 173; The Bobo- link, 173; The Catbird, 174; Robins, 174; The Brown Thrush, or Thrasher, 175 ; The Wood Thrush, 175; Bluebirds, 176; The Summer Yellowbird, 176; The Bluejay, 177; Humming-Bird, 177. CHAPTER XX. How TO Rear Wild Btrhs— Continued i8a The Crow, Hawk, and other Large Birds, 180; The Hawk, 182; The Hawk as a "Scare-Crow," 183; The Hawk as a Decoy, 183; Owls, 184; Sea Birds, 184; Strange Domestic Fowls, 186. CHAPTER XXI. Home-Made Hunting Apparatus, Etc 188 Spearing Fish, 188 ; How to Make a Fish Spear, 188 ; How to Make the Torches, and Jack-Lights, 190; How to Make the Boomerang, 190; To Throw a Boomerang, 192; The Miniature Boomerang, 193 ; The Whip- Bo%v, 194; Throw-Sticks, 195; The Bird Bolas, 196; The Elastic Cross-Bow, 197. CHAPTER XXII. How TO Make Blow-Guns, Elder Guns, Etc ao>a To Make a Blow-Gun, 201 ; Squirt-Guns, 202 ; Elder Guns and Pistols, 203 ; The Spring Shot-Gun, 205. AUTUMN. CHAPTER XXIII. Traps and Trappings ; 2og Rats, 210; The Paper Pitfall, 211; Jug Trap, 212; The Mole and How * to Trap Him, 213; The Figure Four, 214; Mole Trap, 214; TheToll- . gate Trap, 215; The Partridge Snare, 217; Set-Line Snares, 218; Thb Sprmg Snare, 219; Hen-Coop Trap, 221, Cof^ccenfs. xi CHAPTER XXIV. PAGB . ...c. 223 How to Choose a Dog, 224 ; How to Train Dogs, 226 ; To Teach a Dqv to Retrieve, 227 ; Pointers and Setters, 228 ; Pet Dogs, 229. CHAPTER XXV. Practical Taxidekiv^x for Boys 232 Skinning, 233; Stuffing, 236; A New Manner of Preserving Fish, 239/ Design for Sketching Aquarium, 241 ; Preserving Insects, 242 ; Mors* Insect Box, 243 ; The Lawrence Breeding Box, 244 ; Spiders, 245 ; How to Make Beautiful or Comical Groups and Designs of Insects, 245; Marine Animals, 246. CHAPTER XXVI. Every Bo^ a Decorative Artist , vl Shaac/w Pictures — Photographic Paper — How to Enlarge or Reduce a Pic- ture, etc., 248 ; How to Enlarge or Reduce by Squares, 250; How to Make a Camera for Drawing, 252. WINTER. ■ CHAPTER XXVII. Snowball Warfare m^ How to Build Snow Forts — How to Make Shields and Ammunition Sleds, 257 ; How to Build the Fort, 258 ; How to Make an Ammunition Sled, 260 ; How to Make the Shield, 261 ; Rules of the Game, 262 ; A Snow Battle, 264; How to Bind a Prisoner without a Cord, 267; Company Rest, 267. CHAPTER XXVIII. Snow-Houses and Statuary. a6) Snow Statuary, 272. CHAPTER XXIX. Sleds, V Chair-Sleighs, and Snow-Shoes , ^ 275 A Chair- Sleigh, 275; Folding Chair-Sleigh, 276 ; The Toboggan, 278; Snow-Shoes or Skates, 279. xii Contents. CHAPTER XXX. FAGB How TO Make the Tom Thumb Ice-Boat and Larger Craft 281 CHAPTER XXXI. The Winged Skaters, and How to Make the Wings „ . 286 Bat Wings, 288 ; The Norton Rig, 288 ; The Norwegian Rig, 290 ; The Danish Rig, 291 ; The English Rig, 292 ; The Cape Vincent Rig, 293 ; A Country Rig, 294. CHAPTER XXXH. Winter Fishing — Spearing and Snaring — Fisherman's Movable Shanties, Etc 296 Smelt Fishing and the Smelt Fisher's House, 297 ; The Spearsman's Shanty, 3CX) ; Snaring Fish, 301 ; Spearing Fish, 302 ; How to Build a Fishing House, 303. CHAPTER XXXIII. [n-Door Amusements 305 Bric-k-Brac, or the Tourist's Curiosities, 305 ; Mind-Reading, 309 ; A Liter- ary Sketch Club, 310. CHAPTER XXXIV. The Boy's Own Phunnygraph 314 CHAPTER XXXV. How to Make Puppets and a Puppet-Show 322 How to Make the Stage, 323 ; The Scenery, 323 ; The Old Mill, 325 ; Puss, 325 ; Corsando and the Donkey, 327 ; The Royal Coach, 328 ; Carabas, 330; How to Work the Puppets, 330; Stage Effects, 3315 How to Make a Magical Dance, 332 ; How to Make a Sea Scene, 33*. CHAPTER XXXVI. Puss-lN-BooTs. Dramatized and Adapted for a Puppet-Show 33<| Act I., Scene I., Landscape, with Tree, Bridge, and Mill at one side, 334; Scene II., Woods, 336; Act II., Scene I., King's Palace, 337; Scene II., High-road, 238; Act III., Scene I., Interior of Ogre's Castle, 341. Contents. xiii CHAPTER XXXVII. PAd How TO Make a Magic Lantern— A Kaleidoscope— A Fortune-Tel- ler's Box, Etc 345 A Home-Made Kaleidoscope, 347; The Fortune-Teller's Box, 348; The / Magic Cask, 351 ; How the Barrel is Made, 352. CHAPTER XXXVIII. How to Make the Dancing Fairies, the Bather, and the Orator. . 354 How to Make a Handkerchief Doll, 354 ; The Bather, 356 ; The Orator, 357. CHAPTER XXXIX. How TO Make Various and Divers Whirligigs 359 Potato Mill, 359 ; A Saw-Mill, 360 ; The Rainbow Whirligig, 361 ; A Paradoxical Whirligig, 363 ; The Phantasmoscope, or Magic Wheel, 364. CHAPTER XL. The Universe in a Card-Box ,, 368 CHAPTER XLI. Life Instilled into Paper Puppets, and Matches Made of Human Fingers 37f To Light the Gas with your Finger, 373. CHAPTER XLIL Iome-Made Masquerade and Theatrical Costumes 374 The White Man of the Desert, 374; "The Fourteenth Century Young Man," 375 ; The Mediaeval Hat, 376 ; The Wig, 377 ; Eyebrows, Mo.us- tache, and Beard, 377; The Doublet, 377 ; Trunks, 378; Tights, 379} To Dress, 379 ; The Baby, 379 ; How to Make a Handkerchief Hoodj 380. xlv Contents. ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE FOUR SEASONS SPRING. PAGB Kites... 383 Thousands of Kites, 383; The Tailless Kite— Holland Kite, 384. Fishing 386 The Goose Fisherman, 386; The Pistol Reporter, 387; The Floating Tie-Up, 388. SUMMER. Home-Made Boats 389 Slab Canoe, 389; How to Build a Birch Bark* Canoe, 390; Indian Birch Bark Canoe, 392; A Canvas Canoe, 406; The Dug-out, 408; How to Build a Siwash Canoe, 408. SoAP-BuBBLES 410 Paper Fireworks 410 Parachutes, 412; Paper Whirligigs, 413, Home-made Hunting Apparatus 414 AUTUMN. Decoys 421 Duck Decoys, 421; Snipe and Plover Decoys, 423. Taxidermy 423 *• Uncle Enos " Banjo 425 WINTER. Snow-shoes 4^8 spring. The American Boy^s Handy Book. CHAPTER I. KITE TIME. It is a pleasant sensation to sit in the first spring sunshine and feel the steady pull of a good kite upon the string, and watch its graceful movements as it sways from side to side, ever mounting higher and higher, as if impatient to free itself and soar away amid the clouds. The pleasure is, however, greatly enhanced by the knowledge that the object skimming so bird-like and beautifully through the air is a kite df your own manufacture. I remember, when quite a small boy, building an immense man kite, seven feet high. It was a gorgeous affair, with its brilHant red nose and cheeks, blue coat, and striped trousers. As you may imagine, I was nervous with anxiety and ex- citement to see it fly. After several experimental trials to get the tail rightly balanced, and the breast-band properly adjusted, and having procured the strongest hempen twine with which to fly it, I went to the river-bank for the grand event. My man flew splendidly ; he required no running, no hoist- ing, no- jerking of the string to assist him. I had only to stand on the high bank and let out the string, and so fast did the twine pass through my hands that my fingers were almost blistered. spring. People began to stop and gaze at the queer sight, as my man rose higher and higher, when, suddenly, my intense pride and enjoyment was changed into something very like fright. The twine was nearly all paid out, when I found that my man was stronger than his master, and I could not hold him ! Imagine, if you can, my dismay. I fancied my- self being pulled from the bank into the river, and skimming through the water at lightning speed, for, even in my fright, the idea of letting go of the string did not once occur to me. However, to my great relief, a rr.an standing near came to my assistance, just as the stick upon which the Japanese Square Kite. ^^j^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ came dancing up from the ground toward my hands. So hard did my giant pull that even the friend who had kindly come to the rescue had considerable trouble to hold him in. The great kite, as it swung majestically about, high in the blue sky, at- tracted quite a crowd of spectators, and I felt very grand at the success of my newly invented flying-man ; but my triumph was short-lived. The tail made of rags was too heavy to bear its own weight, and, breaking off near the kite, it fell to the ground, while my kite, freed from this load, shot up like a rocket, then turned and came headlong down with such force, that dashing through the branches of a thorny locust-tree, it crashed to the ground, a mass of broken sticks and tattered paper. Although the sad fate of my first man-kite taught mc Kite Time. CD Fig. I. to avoid building unmanageable giants, the experiment was, on the whole, satis- factory, for it proved beyond a doubt that it is unnecessary to follow the conven- tional form for a kite to make one that will fly. Man Kite. To make this kite you will require four sticks, some rattan and some paper. In regard to his size, I would suggest that the larger the man is, the better he will fly. Now let us suppose you are going to make this fellow four feet high. First, cut two straight sticks three feet nine inches long ; these are to serve for the legs and body ; cut another straight stick two and one-half feet in length for the spine, and a fourth stick, three feet five inches long, for the arms. For the head select a light piece of split rattan — any light, tough wood that will bend readily will do — bend this in a circle eight inches in diameter, fasten it securely to one end of the spine by binding it with strong thread, being careful that the spine runs exactly through the centre of the circle (Fig. I). Next find the exact centre of the arm stick, and with a pin or small tack fasten it at this point to the spine, a few inches below the chin (Fig. 2). Af- ter wrapping the joint tightly with strong thread, lay the part of the skeleton which Skeleton a«d_Frame of Ma. spring. IS finished flat upon the floor, mark two points upon the arm sticks for the shoulder-joints, each seven inches from the in tersection of the spine and arm-stick, which will place them four teen inches apart. At these points fasten with a pin the two long sticks that are to serve for the body and legs (Fig. 3). Now cross these sticks as shown in diagram, being careful that the termi- nations of the lower limbs are at least three feet apart ; the waist-joint ought then to be about ten inches below the arm- stick. After taking the greatest pains to see that the arm-stick is perfectly at right angles with the spine, fasten all the joints securely. Upon the arms bind oblong loops of rattan, or of the same material as the head-frame. These hand-loops ought to be about three inches broad at their widest parts, and exact counterparts of each other. The loops for the feet must ap- proach as nearly as possible the shape of feet, and these, too, must be exactly alike, or the kite will be " lopsided," or un- equally balanced. Now cut two sticks three inches long for the ends of sleeves, and two others four inches long for bottoms cf trousers (Fig. 4) ; fasten the two former near the ends of the arm-stick, and the two latter near the ends of the leg-sticks, as in the illustration. The strings of the frame must next be put on, as shown by the dotted lines (Fig. 5). Commence with the neck, at equal distances from the spine, and about seven inches apart ; tie two strings to the arm-sticks ; extend these strings slantingly to the head, and fasten them to the hoop, one on each side of the spine, and about five inches apart. Take another thread and fasten to the top of cross-stick of right arm, pass it over and take a wrap around the spine, continue it to top of cross-stick upon left arm, and there tie it. Fasten another string to bottom of cross-stick on right arm, draw it tight and wrap it on spine four inches below intersection of arm-stick, p.ass it on to the bottom of cross-stick on left arm, draw taut and fasten it. Tie the body-string at the right shouJ Kite Time, der-joint, drop the thread down to a point exactly opposite the termination of spine upon the right leg, take a wrap, and draw the line across to point upon left leg exactly opposite, bind it there, then bring it up to left shoulder-joint and tie it. For the trousers fasten a string at a point on right arm-stick, eleven inches from the intersection of spine, extend it down in a straight line to inside end of cross-stick of left limb and fasten it there. Tie another string at a point one inch and a half to the left of spine upon right arm-stick, extend it down in a straight line to outside end of cross-stick of left limb. Go through the same process for right leg of trousers, and the frame-work will be complete. For the covering of a kite of this size I have always used tissue paper ; it is pretty in color and very light in weight. Paste some sheets of tissue paper together, red for the trousers, hands and face, blue for the coat, and black, or some dark color, for the feet. Use paste made of flour and water boiled to the consistency of starch. Put the paste on with a small bristle brush, make the seams or over-laps hardly more than one-fourth of an inch wide, and press them together with a soft rag or towel ; measure the paper so that the coat will join the trousers at the proper place. When you are satisfied that this is all right, lay the paper smoothly on the floor and place the frame of the kite upon it, using heavy books or paper-weights to hold it in place. Then with a pair of scissors cut the paper around the frame, leaving a clear edge of one-half inch, and making a slit in this margin or edge every six or seven inches and at ec^ch angle ; around the head these slits must be made about two or three inches apart to prevent the paper from wrinkling when you commence to paste. With your brush cover the margin with paste one section at a time, turn them over, and with the towel or rag press them down. After the kite is all pasted and dry, take a large paint-brush, and witb 8 Spring, black marking-paint, india ink, or common writing fluid, put ii the buttons and binding on coat witii a good broad touch. The face and hair must be painted with broad Hnes, so that they may be seen clearly at a great height. Follow this rule wher- ever you have to use paint upon any kind of kite. The breast-band, or ** belly-band," of the man kite should be arranged in the same manner as it is upon the common hexagonal or cof- fin-shaped kite with which all American boys are fa- miliar ; but for fear some of my readers may not quite understand I will try and tell them exactly how to do it. First, punch small holes through the paper, one upon each side of the leg-sticks just above the bottom of the pants, and one upon each side of the arm-stick at the shoulders. Run one end of the breast- band through the holes at the bottom of the left limb and tie it fast to the leg stick ; tie the other end at the right shoulder. Take another string of the same length as the first and fasten one end in the same manner at the bottom of the right leg, pass the string up. crossing the first band, and tie the end at the left shoulder. Attach your kite- string to the breast-band where the two strings intersect in sucb Fig. 6, — Frame of Woman Kite. Kite Time. a manner that you can slide the kite-string up or down until it IS properly adjusted. For the tail-band, tie a string (to the leg - sticks) at the bottom of the breast- band and let it hang slack from one leg to the other. Attach the tail to the cen- t Fig. 7.— Foot of the Girl. tre of this string. The ^Voman Kite, though differing in form, is made after the same method as the man kite, and with the aid of the dia- gram any boy can build one if he is careful to keep the proper proportions. Remember that the dotted lines in each of these dia- grams represent the strings or thread of the frame- work (Fig. 6). Use small, smooth twine on large kites, and good strong Fig. 8.-Comic Girl Kite. thread on the smaller ones. A very comical effect can be had by making the feet of the woman kite of stiff paste-board, and fastening them on to the line which forms the bottom of the skirt with a string after the manner here illustrated (Fig. 7), allowing them to dangle loose- \y from below, to be moved and swayed by each motion of the lO spring. kite, looking as W it was indeed a live woman or girl of _ the Kate Greenaway \ style, dancing and kicking in the clouds. Fig.8 shows agirlkite with feet attached. The costume given in the illustra- tion may be varied according to fancy, with the same frame- work. A Dolly Var- den or a Martha Washington cos- tume can be made. A blue OversUirt and waist covered with stars, and a red and white striped skirt, give us Columbia or a Goddess of Lib- erty. Attach the breast-band in the same manner as upon the man kite. Let the tail-band hang loosely below the skirt. By a slight modification of the frame of the man kite you can product Kite Time, 1 1 A Boy Kite that will create an unlimited amount of fun whenever he makes his appearance in his aesthetic Kate Greenaway suit. By care- fully following the construction according to the diagram (Fig. 9) the average boy will find little difficulty in building a twin brother to the kite in the illustration (Fig. 10). Stl^l another strange looking kite can be made by using a piece of pliable wood bent in a circular form for the body, and allowing the leg-sticks to protrude above the shoulders to form short arms, the spine extending below the trunk some distance to form the tail to a Frog Kite. It is not worth while to build one less than two feet high. Let us suppose that the particular batrachian we are now about to make is to be just that height ; in this case the leg-sticks must be each two feet long, and as you will want to bend them at the knees, these points should be made considerably thinner than the other parts of the sticks. The spine must be about one foot seven inches long, or a little over three-quarters of the length of the leg-sticks. Place the two latter one above the other, lay the spine on top of them, and see that the tops of all three are flush, or perfectly even. Then at a point eight inches from the top, drive a pin through all three sticks, care- fully clamping it upon the other side where the point pro- trudes. For the body, take a piece of thin rattan two feet five or six inches in length, bend it into the form of a circle, allow- ing the ends. to overlap an inch or two that they may be firmly bound together with thread by winding it around the joint. The circle will be about eight inches in diameter. Take the three sticks you pinned together and lay them on the floor, spreading them apart ia the form of an irregular star, in such a 12 Spring, manner that the top of the spine will be just half-way between the tops of the leg-sticks and about five inches from each ; when you have proceeded thus far place the rattan circle over the other sticks ; the intersection of the sticks should be the centre Fig. II.— Frame of Frog Kite. Fig. 12.— Frog Kite. of the circle ; with pins and thread fasten the frame together h. this position. The lower limbs will be spread wide apart ; the^. must be carefully drawn closer together and held in position b^ a string tied near the termination of each leg-stick. Cross- sticks for hands and feet may now be added, and the strings! put on as shown in Fig. ii. This kite should be coverec with green tissue paper. A few marks of the paint-brush wL Kite Time. 13 give it the appearance of Fig. 12. The breast and tail-band can be put on as described in the man kite. The Butterfly Kite. Make a thin straight stick of a piece of elastic wood, or split rattan ; to the top end of this attach a piece of thread or string ; bend the stick as you would a bow until it forms an arc or part of a circle ; then holding the stick in this position tie the other end of the string to a point a few inches above the bottom end of the stick. At a point on the stick, about one-quarter the dis- tance from the top, tie another string, draw it taut, and fasten it to the bottom end of the bow. Take another stick of ex- actly the same length and thickness as the first, and go through the same pro- cess, making a frame that must be a duplicate of the other. Then fasten the two frames together, as shown by Fig. 13, al- lowing the arcs to over- FiG. 13.— Frame of Butterfly Kite. Fig. 14.— The Butterfly Kite. lap several inches, and bind the joints securely with thread. The hf ad of the insect is made by attaching two broom- straws to the top part of the wings where they join, the straws must be crossed, the projecting ends serving for the antennae or^ H Spring. as the boys call them, the ** smellers " of the butterfly. Nov» select a piece of yellow or blue tissue paper, place your frame over it, cut and paste as directed in the description of the man kite. When the kite is dry, with black paint make some mark- ing upon the wings similar to those shown in the illustration, Fig. 14 ; or, better still, cut out some pieces of dark colored paper in the form of these markings and paste them on, of course taking care to have one wing like the other (Fig. 14), as in nature. The King Crab Kite. Fig. 15.— Frame of King Crab, FiG. i6.— King Crab Kite. The king, or "horse shoe crab,** is familiar to all boys who live upon the coast or spend their summer vacation at the sea* Kite Time. 15 side. It IS a comparatively simple matter to imitate this crus- tacean in the form of a kite ; in fact, all that is necessary is a slight modification of the old-fashioned bow kite to which a pointed tail must be attached. This tail can be made as shown in the illustration (Fig. 15), or may be cut out of a piece of paste-board and joined to the kite by a paper hinge ; this will allow the tail to bend backward when the wind blows against it, giving it a natural appearance ; the kite and pointed tail, which is part of the kite, should be covered with yellow paper. If you think that you do not possess sufficient skill with the brush to represent the under side of the crab, as shown in the illustration (Fig. 16), you can, at least, paint two large eye- spots some distance apart near the upper end, and then your kite will represent a back view. Attach the breast and tail bands as on an ordinary bow kite. Fish Kite. Cut two straight pine sticks; shave them down until they are thin enough to bend readily; see that they are exactly the same length and of about the same weight. Fasten the top ends together by driving a pin through them. Bend each stick in the form of a bow, and hold them in this position until you have secured a third stick across them at right angles about one-third the way down from the top, or ends where they are joined together. The fish should be about half as broad as it is long. Let the lower ends of the side or bow sticks cross each other far enough up to form a tail to the fish, and fasten the sticks together at their intersection. Before stringing the frame see that the cross-stick protrudes an equal distance from each side of the fish. To make the tail, tie a string across the bottom from the end of one cross-stick to the end of the other, and to this string midway between the two side-sticks tie unother string, pass it up to the root, of the tail, draw it taut i6 Spring. and fasten it there at the intersection of the side-sticks ; this wili make a natural hooking-fork to the caudal fin (Fig. 17). The remainder of the strings can be put on by referring to the diagram, care being taken that the dorsal or back-fin is made exactly the same size as the fin on the belly of the fish. Yellow, red,, and green are all appropriate colors for the paper Fig. 17.— Frame of Fish Kite. Fig. 18.— Fish Kite. covering of this kite. After the paper is pasted and dry you may amuse yourself by painting the outlines of the gills and fins (Fig. 18). The kite will look all the better for not having the scales painted upon it. Tie the strings of the breast-band to the side-sticks near the head and tail, and let them cross each other as in a common kite. Attach the tail-band to the tail of the fish. The Turtle Kite is so simple in its construction that a lengthy descriptioa of how to make it would be out of place. All that is necessarjl Kite Time. 17 is to place the diagram before you (Fig. 19) and go to work. Suppose you want your kite to measure two feet from tip of nose to end of tail, the spine or centre-stick must then, of course, be two feet long ; make the leg-sticks each one and a half foot long, place the stick for the fore-legs at a point on the spine seven inches below the top, put the stick for the hind- fto, 19.— Frame of Turtle-Kite. Fig. 2a— The Turtle Kite. legs eight inches below the fore-legs. Adjust the hoop so that it will extend four inches above the fore-leg stick, and the same distance below the hind-leg stick. Let the diameter across the centre from side to side be about fifteen inches. Put the cross- pieces on for the head and feet, run a thread over the bottom end of the spine for a tail, cover the whole with green tissue paper and your kite is done (Fig. 20). i8 Spring, The Shield Kite. Make the frame of four sticks, two straight cross-sticks and two bent side-sticks (Fig. 21); cover it with red, white, and blue Fig. 21. — Frame of Shield Kite. Fig. 22.— The Shield Kite. tissue paper. Paste red and white paper together in stripes for the bottom, and use a blue ground with white stars for the top (Fig. 22). The next kite is not original with the author, but is Fig. 23.— Frame of Star Kite. Fig. 24.— Star Kite, well known in some sections of the country. I have made a diagram of it at the request of a number of boys who did not know how to make Kite Time. 19 A Star Kite. Build it according to the diagrams (Figs. 23 and 24), making the sticks all of equal length, and cover the kite with any col* ored paper that may suit your fancy. The Chinese Dragon Kite. This kite is a most resplendent affair, and glitters in the sun* light as if it were covered with jewels. It is rather complicated to look at, but not very difficult to make. .The one I have be- fore me was made in China. The top or horizontal stick (Fig. 25, 1-2) is three feet long, half an inch wide, and one- eighth inch thick. The face can be simplified by using a loop, as in the man kite. Two more loops, as shown -^in the diagram, will serve as frames for the wings. Paper is pasted upon this, and hangs loose like an apron in front below the cross-stick (1-2). Cut the paper long enough to cover the first Fig. 26. disk of the tail-piece, as shown in the finished kite. Fig. 27. The head-piece is ornamented with briUiant colors, bits of 20 Spring. Fig. 27.— Portion of Framework of Tail looking-glass pasted on or at- tached with strings, so that they dangle loosely, etc.; this makes the top rathef heavy, as, in fact, it ought to be, for then it serves to balance the tail, which, in this instance, is a succession of circu- lar kites, ten inches in diameter, and thirteen in number, connect- ed with one another by strings. Attached to each of these paper disks is a slender piece of reed or grass with a tufted head ; a similar tuft is fastened by a string to the opposite end to balance Fig. 37.— The Chinese Dragon Kite. Kite Time, 21 it. The breast-band is made like that upon an ordinary kite ; the cross-strings, being attached to the face at the top and bottom, intersect each other about opposite a point between the eyes. Fig. 26 represents the top view of a single disk, showing^ where the reeds and string are attached. Fig. 27 shows a side view of two disks, and the way in which they are connected by strings, six and a half inches space being left between each two disks. A (Fig. 27) is a front view of finished kite. The Japanese Square Kite is not, as its name might imply, perfectly square. It is rectan- gular in form, and made with a framework of very thin bamboo or cane sticks, bound together as shown in Fig. 28. This frame is covered with Japan- ese paper, to which all the sticks are tightly glued. The kite is bent backward, making the front slightly convex, and held in this po- sition by strings tied from end to end of the cross-sticks at the back ; the breast-band may be attached as on an ordinary six-sided kite. Instead of a tail-band, with a single tail at- tached, this foreigner carries two tails, one tied at each side to the protruding ends of the ^^^^^ ^ ^ rame. diagonal sticks at the bottom of the kite. The illustration on page 4, of two boys making ready to fly one of these kites, is a copy from a picture made by a Japanese artist. The Moving Star is a paper lantern attached to the tail of any large kite. A Chinese lantern will answer this purpose, although it is generally so long and narrow that the motion of the kite is apt to set fire to it. Fig. 28.— Japanese 22 Spring. To make a more suitable lantern, take a circular piece of light board five inches in diameter, drive three nails in the cen- tre just far enough apart to allow a candle to fit between them firmly. Make of rattan or wire a light hoop of the same diam- eter as the bottom-piece ; fasten these to a strap or handle Fig. 29. — Frame of Lantern. of wood, or wire, as shown in the diagram (Fig. 29), and cover the body of the lantern with red tissue paper. This lantern fastened to the tail of a large kite that is sent up on a dark night will go bobbing around in a most eccentric and apparently unaccountable manner, striking with wonder all observers not in the secret. CHAPTER II. WAR KITES. Like all soldiers, war kites should be trim and martial in appearance. Their uniform may be as brilliant and fanciful as the ingenuity and taste of the builder suggests, always remem- bering that Hghtness and strength are essential qualities. An appropriate name or emblem, marked, painted, or pasted on, would serve not only to distinguish the combatants from their more peaceful brother aerostats, but would give to each kite an individuality, and thus allow successful veterans to become fa- mous throughout kitedom. There are but two *^ arms " to this novel *' service," or rather two modes of warfare. The first, tin- armed^ might be compared to the friendly jousts of the knights of old when they met for trials of skill. The second, armed^ is more like the mortal combat where but one survives. Unarmed 'War Kite. The usual form of the unarmed fighting kite is that of the ordinary bow kite. It should be made about two and one-half feet high. Base of bow, fourteen inches below top of spine or centre-stick, and twenty-seven inches broad. Cover the frame with paper cambric. Make the tail of string, with stripes of colored paper inserted in loops an inch or so apart. A paper tassel at the end will give it a finished look. Ten feet is about the proper length of tail for a kite of this size. In fighting with this unarmed soldier the object is to cap- ture your opponent's kite by entangling its tail in your own 24 spring. string. To do this you must make your kite dart under the twine of your enemy. As soon as it darts let out string rapidly enough to keep your fighter under control, and at the same time allow it to fall to the rear of the other kite. Having ac- complished this, drop your ball of string and pull in hand ovex hand, as fast as possible. If your enemy is not very spry and well up in these tactics, this manoeuvre will hopelessly entan- gle his kite-tail on your string. Then, although the battle is half won, a great deal depends upon your superior quickness, skill, and also upon the strength of yodr twine, which may break, or your victim may escape with the loss of part of its tail. If, however, you are successful in capturing your pris- oner you can write on your kite the date of the victory, and the name of the vanquished warrior. The captive must, in all cases, be returned to its proper owner after the latter has signed his name to the record of his defeat written upon your kite. Thus is the successful hero soon covered with the records of his victories, while the unsuccessful fighter carries a bare blank face. Armed Kites are of a more relentless and bloodthirsty order than the strate- gic unarmed warrior. The peculiar mission of these rampant champions of the air is to cut the enemy off from his base of supplies ; then with a satisfied wriggle, and a fiendish wag of the tail, this ferocious flyer sails serenely on, while his ruined victim falls helplessly to the earth, or ignominiously hangs himself on some uncongenial tree, where his skeleton will struggle and swing until beaten to pieces by the very element that sustained him in his elevation before his thread of life was cut. In this sport, new to most Northern boys, they will find an exciting and healthy pastime, one that will teach them to think and act quickly, a quality that when acquired may be of infinite service to them in after years. War Kites, 25 Armed Kite Fighting. These aero-nautical cutters might be appropriately named the Scorpion, " Stingerree," Wasp, or Hornet, because they fight with their tails, the sting of the insect being represented on the kite-tail by the razor like cutters. The tactics used in these battles of the clouds are just the opposite from those employed in fighting with unarmed kites. To win the battle you so manoeuvre your warrior that its tail sweeps across and cuts the string of your antagonist. Armed kites are usually made after the pattern of the Amer- ican six-sided or hexagonal kite. They are two and one-half feet high, covered with paper cambric, or, when economy is no object, with silk. As a successful warrior looks well after his arms, so should the tail of a war kite receive the most careful attention. One very popular style of tail is made of strips of bright- colored cloth about one inch wide tied securely in the middle to a strong twine, the tail ending in a fancy tassel. Another style is made of long narrow strips of white cloth securely sewed together. This tail is not so apt to become knotted or tangled as the first. How to Make the Knives. The " cutters " to be attached to the tail are made of sharp pieces of broken glass called knives. From a thick glass bottle, broken off below the neck, chip off pieces. This can be done with the back of a heavy knife blade or a light hammer. The workman cannot be too careful or cautious in breaking or handling the glass, as the least care- lessness is sure to result in bad cuts and bloody fingers. From the slivers or chips of glass select pieces thick on the outside curve, but with a keen sharp inside edge. It may take 26 spring. Fig. 30.— Cutters. time, experience, and several bottles to get knives to exactly suit you. How to Make Cutters. Fasten three knives together with wax (Fig. 30) so that each shall point in a different direction, bind on this three slips of thin wood lengthwise to hold the wax and glass firmly, and cov- er it neatly with cloth or kid. A piece of twine looped at each end should pass through the apparatus lengthwise. This, of course, to be put in before the slips are bound together. Excellent cutters can be made of blades from an old penknife. A much simpler weapon is made with a piece of stout twine one foot long, dipped in glue and rolled in pounded glass until thickly coated with a glistening armor of sharp points. Two of these incorporated in the lower half of the kite's tail will be found to be effective cutters. Boys participating in this war of kites should always bear in mind the fact that it requires but little skill to cut an unarmed kite, and that there is no honor or glory to be gained in vanquishing a foe who is unable to defend himself. There are many other attachments, improvements, and amusing appliances that suggest themselves to an enthusi- astic kite-flyer. War Kites. 27 Kite Clubs. The field is a large one, and the opportunities for originality and ingenuity almost unbounded. If some enthusiastic, ener- getic boy will take the initiatory steps, kite clubs might be formed throughout the country with appropriate names, rules, and regulations, which, during the kite season, would have their meets and tournaments, and award prizes to the steadiest stander, the highest flyer, and the most original and unique design besides the prizes awarded at the jousts of the war kites. The organization of such clubs would give a new impetus to an amusement deserving of greater popularity than it has ever attained in this country. CHAPTER III. NOVEL MODES OF FISHING. The Bell Pole. In the Gulf States, upon some of the plantations that bordef the sluggish streams or bayous peculiar to that part >i the country, the field hands have a simple and ingenious contri^ • ance by which they are enabled to fish without interfering with the discharge of their duties. The apparatus used consists of an ordinary cane-pole to which a long line with any number of hooks is attached ; an old bell is hung at the end of the cane where the line is fas- tened. The sable sportsmen set a number of poles, rigged in this manner, thrusting the butt ends of the rods into the soft bank so that they stand almost upright along the edge of the WSLtei" upon which the plantation borders. After the hooks are baited the lines are cast out as far as they will reach into the stream and left to take care of them- selves. As soon as a fish is hooked it struggles to free itself, but the first plunge the unwary creature makes rings the bell at the end of the rod and summons the laborer from the field, who leaves his ploughing or planting just long enough to land the fish and re-bait the hook. It is seldom that the setting sun sees the dusky workmen return to their cabins empty-handed. By far the oddest and most original mode of fishing prac- tised by the colored people of the Southern States is called by them. Novel Modes of Fishing, 29 «* Jugging for Cats." Early one morning, while sauntering along the levee of a small town upon the Mississippi, the author met an old colored friend, Uncle Eanes. *' Whars I gwine ? " queried the old man. ** I was jus gwine to git de traps together to jug for cats,— Hi, Hi, neber hea tell of dat ? De Lor I no sah, not presactly pussy cats — cuUored folks eats 'bout de same as white folks (when dey can git it), yes, sah ! we's seed purty tight times since de war, Suah ! but we hasent come to eating pussy cats just yet. Boss ! Hi, Hi ! Take a big jug suah enough to hold a tolerable sized mud cat ! but we don't cotch dem in de jugs. You jest come along and I'll show you how 'tis. " Uncle Ean- es's invitation was accept- ed, and the author was in- itiated into the mysteries of Jug Rigged. "jugging for cats," which he found to combine exercise, ex* citement and fun in a much greater degree than the usual method of angling with rod and reel. The tackle necessary in this sport is very simple ; it consists of five or six empty jugs tightly corked with corn cobs, as many stout lines, each about five feet long with a sinker and large hook at the end. One of these lines is tiea to tne handle 04 30 ' Spring. each jug. Fresh liver, angle worms, and balls made of corn meal and cotton, are used for bait ; but a bit of cheese, tied up in a piece of mosquito netting to prevent its washing away, appears to be considered the most tempting morsel. When all the hooks are baited, and the fisherman has in- spected his lines and found everything ready, he puts the jugs into a boat and rows out upon the river, dropping the earthen- ware floats about ten feet apart in a line across the middle of the stream. The jugs will, of course, be carried down with the current, and will have to be followed and watched. When one of them begins to behave in a strange manner, turning upside down, bobbing about, darting up stream and down, the fisher- man knov/s that a large fish is hooked, and an exciting chase ensues. It sometimes requires hard rowing to catch the jug, for often when the fisherman feels sure of his prize and stretches forth his hand to grasp the runaway, it darts off anew, fre- quently disappearing from view beneath the water, and coming to the surface again, yards and yards away from where it had left the disappointed sportsman. One would think that the pursuit of just one jug, which a fish is piloting around, might prove exciting enough. But imagine the sport of seeing four or five of them start off on their antics at about the same moment. It is at such a time that the skill of a fisherman is tested, for a novice, in his hurry, is apt to lose his head, thereby losing his fish also. Instead of hauling in his line carefully and steadily, he generally pulls it up in such a hasty manner that the fish is able, by a vigor, ous flop, to tear himself away from the hook. To be a success- ful *' jugger,"one must be as careful and deliberate in taking out his fish as though he had only that one jug to attend to, no matter how many others may be claiming his attention by their frantic signals. The illustration shows how the line is rigged. Novel Modes of Fishing. 3» The Dancing Fisherman is another method of catching fish, in principle similar to jug- a jumping-jack, or small, jointed maa, of ging, by means whose limbs ar^; moved by jerking a string attached to them. This little figure is fastened to a stick, which is secured in an up- right position on a float made of a piece of board. Through a hole in the float is passed the string attached to the figure, and tied securely to this are the hook and line. After the hook Is baited, the float is placed on the surface of the water, and the little man, standing upright, is left to wait in patience. Presently a fish, ^^'''^^' attracted by the bait, comes nearer the surface, seizes the hook quickly, and darts downward, pulling the string, and making the little figure throw up its arms and legs as though dancing for joy at having performed its task so welL The capering of 32 spring. Jack IS the signal to his master that a fish has been caught and is struggling to free itself from the hook. This manner of fish- ing is necessarily confined to quiet bodies of water, such as small lakes or ponds ; for in rough water poor little Jack would be upset. Fig. 31 shows how to rig the '* dancing fisherman." Toy Boats for Fishing. Trolling, by means of rudely made toy boats, is a sport the ovelty of which will certainly recommend itself. , The boat can be made out of a piece of plank any where from a foot to two and one-half feet long, according to the size Fig. 32. of the fish to be caught. Sharpen the plank at one end and rig it with one or two masts and sails of paper or cloth. The rudder must be very long in proportion to the size of the boat, to prevent its making lee way and to keep it on a straight course. To nails in the stern of the boat tie fish lines rigged with spoon or live bait (Fig. 32). This diminutive fishing- smack will not alarm the finny inhabitants of the water as a larger boat might, but when sailing before the wind will troll Novel Modes of Fishing, 33 the bait in a manner that appears to be irresistible to bass or pickerel, and sometimes even the mud-loving cat-fish will rise and swallow the hook. A whole fleet of these little vessels may be attended by one boy if he has a boat in which to row immediately to the assistance of any of his toy boats, whose suspicious movements betray the presence of a fish in tow. The Wooden Otter consists of a board two feet long, three inches wide, and one- half-inch thick, made to float on edge in the water by weight- ing the lower part of the plank with lead, iron, or even stones, tied on with strings. By means of a breast-band rigged like that on a kite, a strong tow-line is fastened to the "otter." At intervals along the tow-line, shorter lines are attached baited with artificial flies, spoon hooks, dead or live bait, as the case may be, the bait of course depending altogether upon the fish . you are after. As you walk or row, the " otter " sheers off and the baits comb the water in a tantalizing way that is fatal to trout, bass, or pickerel. So "killing" is this instrument that it should only be used to replenish the larder when provisions are running short in camp. Fishing for Fresh-Water Clams. Mussels, or fresh-water clams, are prized by many boys on account of the pearly opalescent substance of which the shell is icomposed, it being an excellent material of which to make fin- *ger-rings and charms. Not unfrequently pearls of great beauty are found concealed within the shells of these bivalves. The empty shells found upon the beach are never very highly prized, and are called by collectors dead shells. Shells of any kind which contain the living animal when collected, are ever after called live shells, for they still retain all their freshness and lustre after the inmate has been removed. To 34 Spring. collect live mussel shells, you must wade, dive, or, if the watei is clear enough for you to distinguish objects upon the bottom, fish for them, not with a hook and line, but with a long twig, from which all branches and leaves have been removed except- ing a single bud on the end (Fig. 33). As soon as you detect a bivalve, you will discover its shells to be partially open. Carefully in-sert the bud, that you have left upon the end of your stick, between the gaping lips of the shell, the instant Fig. 33. Fig. 34. that the animal within feels the touch it will close its doors firmly, of course holding the switch between the shells. The bud at the end prevents the stick from slipping out, and the animal is caught by taking advantage of the very means it uses for protection. A simple contrivance for catching small frogs, eels, and liz^ ards, for the aquarium consists of an elder stick, with one end cut like a quill pen with the points spread apart, as shown in sketch (Fig. 34). To use this you must approach a pond or brook very cau- tiously so as not to frighten your game. Through the clear water the little creatures can be seen resting quietly on the bottom. If you are careful not to make any disturbance or sudden movement you may get your elder lance poised over your lizard, newt, or frog, within an inch or so of its body, with- out disturbing him ; then with a quick movement push the stick and animal both into the mud. On drawing out the stick you will find your captive squirming between the split ends of the Novee Modes of Fishing. 35 elder — from which he can be removed without serious injury. With practice you can perfect yourself in this aquarian sport so as seldom to lose or injure your specimens. The snare made of fine wire in the form of a slip noose is so well known to the boys in general, that it is no novelty and unnecessary to describe. CHAPTER IV. HOME-MADE FISHING TACKLE. The Rod. . It not unfrequently happens that an amateur is unable to take advantage of most excellent fishing, for the want of proper or necessary tackle. It may be that he is accidentally in the neighborhood of a pickerel pond or trout stream, or that his fishing tackle is lost or delayed in transit. Under such circumstances a little prac- tical ingenuity is invaluable. If within reach of any human habitation you can, in all probability, succeed in finding suffi- cient material with which to manufacture not only a rod which will answer your purpose, but a very serviceable reel. To rig up a home-made trout rod, you need a straight, slender, elastic pole, such as can be found in any wood or thicket, some pins, and a small piece of wire. File off the head of several pins, sharpen the blunt ends, and bend them into the form of the letter U. At a point about two feet from the butt end of the rod drive the first pin, leaving enough of the loop above the wood to allow the fish line to pass freely through ; drive the other pins upon the same side of the rod and at regular inter- vals. Make the tip of a piece of wire by bending a neat cir- cular loop in the centre, and then knitting or binding the wire on the end of the pole (Fig. 35). Should you have enough wire, it will answer much better for the other loops than the pins. If at a farm-house look in the attic for an old bonnet frame, or some similar object likely to be at hand, and it will furnish you with plenty of material. Cut the wire in pieces about two and Home-Made Fishing Tackle. 37 a half inches long, make a simj5le loop in the centre of each piece, and with a "waxed end" or strong thread bind the ends of the wire lengthwise on the rod, then give each loop a Fig. 35. Fig. z6. turn, twisting it in proper position (Fig. 36). With a large wooden spool, an old tin can, and a piece of thick wire, a first- rate reel may be manufactured. Tin and Spool Reel. Fig. 37.— Construction of the Tin and Spool ReeL 38 Spring, Put the wire through the spool, allowing about one inch ta protrude at one end and about three inches at the opposite end. Wedge the wire in firmly by driving soft pine sticks around it, and trim off the protruding ends of the sticks. Cut a piece of tin in the shape shown by the diagram (Fig. 37), punch a hole in each side piece for the wire to pass through, leaving plenty of room for the spool to revolve freely. Turn the side-pieces up upon each side of the spool, and bend the long end of the wire in the form of a crank. Hammer the bottom piece of tin over the rod until it takes the curved form, and fits tightly, then with strong wax string bind it firmly to the rod. If it should happen that a piece of tin could not be procured, a reel can be made of a forked stick and a spool. The Forked-Stick Reel. Cut a forked stick and shave off the inside flat, as in Fig. 38, cut two notches near the bottom, one upon each side ; this \ Fig. 38. Fig. 39. will allow the fork to bend readily at these points. Make a •mall groove for a string at the top of each prong. Put the spool Home-Made Fishing Tackle. 39 between the prongs, allowing the wire to protrude through holes bored for that purpose. Bend the long end of the wire in the form of a crank. Tie a string across from end to end of the prongs to hold them in proper position, and you have a rustic but serviceable reel (Fig. 39). It may be attached to the pole in either manner shown by Figs. 40 and 41. Boys who find Fig. 40. Fig. 41. pleasure in outdoor sports should always be ready with expedi- ents for any emergency. A fish hook is rather a difficult thing to manufacture, though I have seen them made of a bird's claw bound to a piece of shell by vegetable fibre. I would not advise my readers to attempt to make one. A better plan is to always carry a supply about your person, inside the lining of your hat being a good place to deposit small hooks. For black bass, pickerel, and many other fish, Hve minnows are the best bait. To catch them you need a net. Home-Made Nets. A simple way to make a minnow net is to stretch a piece of mosquito netting between two stout sticks. If deemed neces- sary, floats may be fastened at the top and sinkers at the bot- tom edge of the net (Fig. 42). Coarse bagging may be used if mosquito netting is not obtainable. But with a forked stick and a ball of string for material, a jack-knife, and your fingers for tools, a splendid scoop-net can be made that will not only last, but be as good, if not better, than any you could purchase. Cut a good stout sapling that has two branches (Fig. 43). Trim 40 Spring. off all other appendages, and bend the two branches until the ends over-lap each other for some distance, bind the ends firmly and neatly together with waxed twine, if it can be had — if not, with what string you have (Fig. 44). Fasten the pole in a convenient position so that the hoop Fig. 42. ^ is about level with your face. If you want the net two feet deep, cut a number of pieces of twine seven or eight feet long, double them, and slip them on the hoop in the manner shown by the first string (Fig. 45), Home-Made Fishing Tackle. 4» Beginning at the most convenient point, take a string from each adjoining pair and make a simple knot of them, as shown by the diagram. Continue all the way around the hoop knot- ting the strings together in this manner. Then commence on the next lower row and so on until you reach a point where, in your judgment the net ought to commence to narrow or taper down. This can be accomplished by knotting the strings a littl closer together, and cutting off one string of a pair at four equi- distant points in the same row. Knot as before until you come to a clipped line ; here you must take a string from each side of the single one and knot them, being careful to make it come even with others in the same row. Before tightening the double knot pass the single string through, and after tying a knot close to the double one cut the string ofif close. (See Fig. 45 A.) Continue as before until the row is finished, only deviating Fig. 45. 42 spring. from the original plan when a single string is reached. Proceed in a like manner with the next and the next rows, increasing the number of strings eliminated until the remaining ones meet at the bottom, being careful not to let one drop mesh come di- «rectly under another of the same kind. A scoop-net can be made of a piece of mosquito netting by sewing it in the form of a bag, and fastening it to a pole and hoop made of a forked stick like the one just described. Minnows must be kept alive, and tin buckets, with the top half perforated with holes, are made for that purpose. These buckets, when in use, are secured by a string and hung in the water, the holes in the sides allowing a constant supply of fresh breathing material to the little fish within. A Home-Made Minnow Bucket. Take any tin bucket that has a lid to it and punch holes in the top and upper part with a nail and hammer, or some similar instruments. If a tin bucket cannot be had, a large-sized tin can will an- swer the purpose. The illustration (Fig. 46) shows a minnow bucket made in this manner. Fig. 47 shows the proper manner of baiting with a live minnow. The cartilaginous mouth of a fish has little or no feeling in it. A hook passed from beneath the under jaw through it — - ^ and the upper lip will neither kill nor ^L injure the minnow. As it allows the Pjq^ g^ little creature to swim freely, there is a much greater chance of getting a bite than with a dead or mangled bait. The latter is a sign of either cruelty or ignorance on the part of the fisherman. Home-Made Fishing Tackle. 43 Inhabitants of the Water. How natural it is to speak of a love for the sea, or an intimate acquaintance and knowledge of the ocean, when, in reality, it is only the top or surface of the water that is meant, while the hidden mysteries that underlie the billows, the sea- world proper — its scenery, inhabitants, and history — are but Fig. 47. partially known, except to our most learned naturalists. The occasional glimpses we have of queer and odd specimens kid napped from this unknown realm make it natural for us to feel a curiosity to know and a desire to see the life and forms that are concealed beneath the waves. What boy can sit all day in a boat, or upon the green shady bank of an inland stream, watching the floating cork of his fish line without experiencing a longing for some new patent trans- parent diving bell, in which, comfortably ensconced at the bot- tom of the water, he might see all that goes on in that unfamiliar country. In the next chapter I propose to show how this natural curiosity or desire for knowledge may be gratified, not exactly by placing you at the bottom of the water, but by transporting a portion of this curious world, with its liquid atmosphere and living inhabitants into your own house, where you may inspect and study it at your leisure. CHAPTER V. HOW TO STOCK, MAKE, AND KEEP A FRESH. WATER AQUARIUM. Although marine animals may surpass the inhabitants of fresh water in strangeness of form and tint, there are some fresh -water fish upon whom Mother Nature appears to have lavished her colors ; and there are enough aquatic objects to be found, in any stream or pond, to keep all my readers bus); and happy for years in studying their habits and natural his-/ tory. One must have a certain amount of knowledge of the habits of an animal before he can expect to keep it in a thriving condition in captivity. This knowledge is gained by observa- tion, and success depends upon the common sense displayed in discreetly using the information thus obtained. Do not make the common mistake of supposing that an aquarium is only a globe or ornamental tank, made to hold a few lazy gold-fish. Do not have china swans floating about upon the top of the water, nor ruined castles submerged beneath the surface. Such things are in bad taste. Generally speak- ing, ruined castles are not found at the bottoms of lakes and rivers, and china swans do not swim on streams and ponds. If you determine to have an aquarium, have one whose con- tents will afford a constant source of amusement and instruc- tion — one that will attract the attention and interest of visit- ors as soon as they enter the room where it is. Sea-shells, corals, etc., should not be used in a fresh-water aquarium ; they not only look out of place, but the lime and salts they How to Stock a Fresh-Water Aquarium, 45 contain will injure both fish and plant. Try to make your aquarium a miniature lake in all its details, and you will find the effect more pleasing to the eye. By making the artificial home of the aquatic creatures conform as nearly as possible to their natural ones you can keep them all in a healthy and lively condition. At the bird-stores and other places where objects in natural history are sold, you may buy an aquarium of almost any size you wish, from the square tank with heavy iron castings to the small glass globe ; the globes come in ten sizes. Some time ago, when the author, then quite a small boy, was spending the summer upon the shores of Lake Erie, the older members of the household frequently went out on the lake after black bass, taking with them for bait a pailof the beautiful ** painted minnows " found in the little brooks of Northern Ohio. Upon the return of a fishing party the minnows left iri the pail were claimed by the children as their share of the spoils, but the little fish would scarcely live a day ; in spite of all that could be done they would, one by one, turn upon their backs and ex- pire. This was the source of much disappointment and re- morseful feelings on the part of the children. One day half the minnows from the pail were poured into a large flat dish, that they might be better seen as they swam about ; here they were forgotten for the time ; on the morrow all the fish in the pail were found to be dead, but those in the flat dish were per- fectly lively and well. This discovery led to a series of ex- periments which the author has continued at times up to the present date, and he feels no hesitancy in saying that, if the manufacturers of aquariums in this country had made it their object to build vessels in which no respectable fish could live, they could hardly have succeeded better, for they all violate this first rule : the greater the surface of water exposed to the air, the greater the quantity of oxygen absorbed from the» 46 ' Spring. atmosphere. Amateurs must bear in mind that *• the value of water depends not so much on its bulk as on the advantageous distribution of its bulk over large spaces." In other words, flat, shallow vessels are the best. In the light of this fact the author set to work to build his first aquarium. The materials for its construction were bought of the town glazier's son. The amount paid was several mar- bles, a broken-bladed Barlow knife, and a picture of the school teacher sketched in lead pencil upon the fly-leaf of a spelling- book. In exchange for these treasures, several fragments of window-glass, some paint, an old brush, and a lump of putty, was received. Two or three days' work resulted in the produc- tion of an aquarium. It was only twelve inches long, eight inches wide, and four inches high ; but, although this tank was small, it was a real aquarium, and would hold water and living pets. A piece of glass 12x8 inches formed the bottom. The sides were fastened on by simply pasting paper along the out- side edges ; if left in this condition of course the water would leak through the cracks, soften the paper, and produce disas* trous results. To prevent this the cracks upon the inside were carefully puttied up and the putty covered with thin strips of glass, which the glazier good-naturedly cut for the purpose ; this not only prevented the tank from leaking, but added greatly to its strength. The paper corners and all the outside, excepting the front was then covered with two or three coats of paint. The front glass was left clean for observation. A piece of pine board formed the base of the little aquarium. After it was carefully puttied around the bottom, where the glass set in the board, the latter was nicely painted to correspond with the rest of the structure, the whole was left to dry. Crude as this tank may appear from the description, it did not look so, and best of all it never leaked. How to Stock a Fresh-lVater Aquarium, 47 With a dip-net, made of an old piece of mosquito-netting, what fun it was to explore the spaces between the logs of the rafts in front of the old saw- mill ! and what curious creatures were found lurking there ! Little gars, whose tiny forms looked like bits of sticks ; young spoon-bill fish (paddle-fish), with ex- aggerated upper lips one-third the length of their scaleless bodies ; funny little black cat-fish, that looked for all the world like tadpoles, and scores of other creatures. Under the green vegetation in those spaces they found a safe retreat from the attacks of larger fish. If a constant supply of fresh water can be kept flowing in an aquarium, or the water constantly aerified by agitation, the ordinary misshapen tank may be run successfully. The glass globe, the most unnatural of all forms for aquariums, can be utilized in this way. There used to be in the window of a jewelry store, in an Ohio town, an ordinary glass fish- globe, in which lived and thrived a saucy little brook trout. Brook-trout, as most of my readers know, are found only in cool running water, and will not live for any great length of time in an ordinary aquarium. In this case, an artificial circulation of water was produced by means of a Fig. 48.— Globe and Pump. little pump run by clock-work. Every morning the jewellet wound up the machine, and all day long the little pump worked, pumping up the water from the globe, only to send it back 48 Spring. again in a small but constant stream which poured from the little spout, each drop carrying with it into the water of the globe a small quantity of fresh air, including, of course, oxygen gas. (See Fig. 48.) And the little speckled trout lived and thrived, and, for aught I know to the contrary, is still swim- ming around in his crystal prison, waiting, with ever-ready mouth, to swallow up the blue-bottle flies thrown to him by his friend the jeweller. It is a great mistake to suppose that it is necessary to change the water in an aquarium every few days. The tank should be so arranged as to seldom if ever require a change of water. This is not difficult to accomplish. If possible, have your aquarium made under your own eyes. Suppose you wish one, two feet long ; then it should be sixteen inches wide and seven inches high ; or 24'' x f X \^" . Figure 49 shows an aquarium of the proper form and proportions. Fig. 49. Figure 50 shows the popular, but unnatural and improper form. With a properly made aquarium, after it is once stocked with the right proportion of plant and animal life, there is no neces- sity of ever changing the water. Both animals and plants breathe, and what is life to the plant is poison to the animal. Animals absorb oxygen and throw off carbonic acid gas ; this gas the plants inhale, separat- ing it into carbon and oxygen, absorbing the carbon, which is How to Stock a Fresh-JVafer Aquarium, 49 converted into their vegetable tissue, and throwing off the free oxygen for the animals to breathe. By having plants as well as animals in your tank, both classes are supplied with breathing material. When you start your aquarium, first cover the bot- tom with sand and gravel. Then build your rockery ; it is better to cement it together and into place. After this is all arranged, go to the nearest pond or brook, and dredge up some water plants. Any, that are not too large, will do — starwort, milfoil, bladder- wort, pondweed, etc. Fast- FiG. so. en the roots of your plants to small stones with a bit of string, and arrange them about the tank to suit your taste. Fill the tank with water, and let it stand in the window for a week or two, where it will receive plenty of light and but little sun. By that time all your plants will be growing, and numerous other little plants will have started into life of their own accord. Then you may add your animals, and, if you do not overstock the tank, you need never change the water. Be sure not to handle the fish ; if, for any cause, you wish to remove them, lift them gently with a dip-net, \ so 5 '\pring. Should you wish to keep a httle turtle, a crawfish, or any such animal, you must have your rockery so arranged that part Fig. 52. of it will protrude above the water ; or, better still, have a viva- rium or land-and-water aquarium, such as is shown in Figures 5t How to Stock a Fresh-Water AqMarium. 51 and 52. With a tank made upon this plan you can have aquatic plants as well as land plants and flowers, a sandy beach for the turtle to sleep upon, as he loves to do, and a rockery for the crawfish to hide in and keep out of mischief. Some species oil snails like to crawl occasionally above the water-line. Such an aquarium makes an inter- esting object for the conservatory. Figure No. 53 shows how a fountain can be made. The opening of the fountain should be so small as to allow only a fine jet of water to issue from it ; the reservoir, or supply-tank should be out of sight, and quite large, so that, by filling it at night, the fountain will keep play- ing all day. The waste-pipe should open at the level you intend to keep the water, and the opening should be covered with a piece of mosquito-netting or wire- gauze to prevent any creature from being drawn in. In an aquarium with a slant- ing bottom, only the front need be of glass ; the other three which is also a good material for and lakes, the only light i Fig. 53- sides can be made of slate, the false bottom. In ponds, rivers, received comes from above ; so we can understand that a vessel admitting light upon all sides, as well as from the top, forms an unnaturally luminous abode for fish., The glass front is sufficient for the spectator to see through. The author has a tank twenty-five inches long, eleven inches wide, and twelve inches high — far too narrow and deep ; but these defects have been, in a measure, overcome by filling it only two-thirds full of water, and allowing the green vegetation. 52 . spring. to grow undisturbed upon three sides of the aquarium ; the re- maining side is kept clean by rubbing off all vegetable matter once a week with a long-handled bottle-washer. A rag or a piece of sponge, tied upon the end of a stick, will answer the same purpose. This tank has been in a flourishing condition for three years, and the water has been changed only once, and then all the water was removed so that some alteration could be made in the rockery. But one of the inmates has died since last summer, and that was a bachelor stickleback, who probably received a nip from the pincers of one of the craw-fish. Two of these creatures have their den in the rockery that occupies the centre of the tank. A German carp, from the Washington breeding-ponds, browses all day long upon the mossy surface of the rocks, or roots around the bottom, taking great mouthfuls of sand and then puff- ing it out again like smoke. A striped dace spends most of his time lying flat upon his stomach on the bottom, or roosting like some subaqueous bird upon branches of the aquatic plants or on a submerged rock. A big and a little ** killie " dart around after the boat-bugs, which they seldom catch ; and if they do, they drop them again in great trepidation. A diminu- tive pond-bass asserts his authority over the larger fish in a most tyrannous manner. An eel lives under the sand in the bottom, and deigns to make his appearance only once in sev- eral months, much to the amazement of the other inhabitants, all of whom seem to forget his presence until the smell of a bit of meat brings his long body from his retreat. Numerous Httie 'aiussels creep along the bottom ; periwinkles and snails crawl up and down the sides ; caddice-worms cling to the plants, and everything appears perfectly at home and contented. And why ? Because their home is arranged as nearly as possible like their natural haunts, where .they were captured. Learn the habits of any creature ^ and give it a chance to/ollozo How to Stock a Fresh-JVater Aquarium. 53 them, and yon^ will find little difficulty in keeping it healthy in captivity. Stocking. Feed your fish on insects once or twice a week. Do not try to force them to eat ; if they are hungry, they need little per- suasion. Boat-bugs, whirligig-beetles, and, in fact, almost all the aquatic bugs and beetles, will eat lean, raw meat, if given to them in small bits. Water-bugs and insects will become almost as tame as the fish, and even dispute with the latter over a dainty piece of food. One of the most amusing sights is a tiny thread-like eel and a pugnacious whirligig-beetle fighting for the possession of a fly. The eel generally comes off victorious : if he succeeds in once getting a good hold of the fly, he will make a cork- screw or spiral of his body, then commence revolving so rapidly as to often throw the whirligig out of the water. Remember that aquatic animals, like all other creatures, are very variable in their appetites ; some are gluttons, some eat sparingly, some prefer animal food, while others live entirely upon vegetable matter. Carp, dace, and such fish will eat bread ; bass, pickerel, and gars will not Never allow any food to remain in the bottom of the aqua- rium to spoil, for it will contaminate the water. The vegeta- rians in your tank will feed upon the plants growing therein, and they will all eat bread. Most fish will like the prepared food which you can obtain at any aquarium store. In selecting fish for your aquarium, be careful to have the perch, sun-fish, and bass much smaller than the dace, carp, or gold-fish ; otherwise the last-named fish will soon find a resting- place inside the former. Never put a large frog in an aquarium, for he will devour everything there. A bull-frog that I kept in my studio for 54 Spring. more than a year'swallowed fish, live mice, and brown bats ; he also swallowed a frog of nearly his own size; but when he en^ gulfed a young alligator, we were almost as amazed as if he had swallowed himself. The Frog. For the benefit of the curious, here is a partial record of Mr. Frog's meals from May until November : May 14th. — Over a dozen brown beetles. May 15th. — One full-grown live mouse. May 19th. — One full-grown spotted frog. May 24th. — A piece of beef one-third size of the frog himself. June 2d, 9 A.M. — One live mouse. June 2d, I P.M. — One live mouse. June 5th. — A piece of steak one-half size of the frog. July 1 8th. — One full-grown live mouse. July 20th. — One young alligator 11 y^ inches long. This was a pet alligator, and I just came in in time to see the tip of his tail sticking out of the frog's mouth. Taking hold of the alligator's tail I helped Mr. Frog disgorge my pet, but the saurian was dead. July 27th. — One full-grown live mouse. July 29th. — One full-grown live mouse. August 9th. — One full-grown live mouse. September 17th. — One large brown bat. September 20th. — One live craw-fish, September 21st. — Two live craw-fish. September 22d. — One live craw-fish. September 25th, 27th, and October 8th. — Each one full- l^rown live mouse. November 15th. — This gluttonous frog ate two-thirds of a white perch and November 17th. — Died of a fit of indigestion. Ho% to Stock a Fresh-JVater Aquarium, 55 But so celebrated had the frog become on account of his pluck and voracious appetite, that his obituary was published in several papers. Craw-fish are very mischievous ; they pull up the plants, up- set the rockery, nip the ends off the fishes' tails, crack the mus sel-shells, pull out the inmates and devour them, squeeze the caddice-worm from his little log-house, and, in fact, are incorri- gible mischief-makers. But, from that very fact, I always keep one or two small ones. The other inhabitants of the aquarium soon learn to dread the pincer of these fresh-wat^f lobsters, and keep out of the way. Tadpoles are always an interesting addi- tion to an aquarium. Pickerel and gars should be kept in an aquarium by them- selves. Pond-bass rnake^ very intelligent pets. I once had three hundred of these little fellows, perfectly tame. Down in one corner of the cornfield I found two patent washing-machines, the beds of which were shaped like scow-boats. These old ma- chines were fast going to ruin, and I readily gained permission to use them for whatever purpose I wished ; so, with a hatchet, I knocked off the legs and top-gear ; then removed a side from each box, and fastened the two together, making a tank about four feet square. The seam, or crack, where the two parts joined, was filled with oakum, and the whole outside was thickly daubed with coal-tar. The tank was then set in a hole dug for that purpose, and dirt filled in and packed around the sides. Back of it I piled rocks, and planted ferns in all the cracks and crannies, and also put rocks in the centre of the tank, first covering the bottom with sand and gravel. After filling this with water and plants, three hundred little bass were introduced^ and they scon became so tame that they would follow my finger all around, or would jump out of the water for a bit of meat held between the fingers. Almost any wild creatures will 56 spring. yield to persistent kind treatment, and become tame. Gener- ally, too, they learn to have a sort of trustful affection for theif keepers, who, however, to earn the confidence of such friends, should be almost as wise, punctual, and unfailing as good Dame Nature herself. Gold-Fish versus Bass. One of the same bass, which I gave to a friend of mine, lived in an ordinary glass globe for three years. It was a very intelligent fish, but very spiteful and jealous. My friend's mother thought it was lonesome, and so, one day, she brought home a beautiful gold-fish — a little larger than the bass — to keep it company. She put the gold-fish in the globe, and watched the bass, expecting to see it wonderfully pleased ; but the little wretch worked himself into a terrible passion, erected every spine upon his back, glared a moment at the in- truder, and then made a dart forward, seized the gold-fish by the abdomen, and shook it as a terrier-dog shakes a rat, until the transparent water was glittering all over with a shower of golden scales. As soon as possible, the carp was rescued ; but it was too late. He only gasped and died. The vicious little bass swam around and around his globe, biting in his rage at all the floating scales. Ever after, he was allowed to live a hermit's life, and he behaved himself well. At last the family went away for a couple of weeks, and, when they returned, the poor little bass lay dead at the bottom of his globe. It might be well to state, before finishing this article, that common putty, after being exposed to the action of water, is very apt to soften and crumble away, or drop off in large flakes. Painting it will not prevent this. In New York, and I suppose other large cities, the aquarium-stores keep a substance which they call aquarium cement. It looks like red putty, but I have found that it withstands the action of water admirably. For How to Stock a Fresh-Water Aquarium, 57 fifty cents enough can be purchased to cement a large aqua- rium ; but for the benefit of those among my readers who Hve out of the cities, the following receipt from the Scientific Amer- ican is inserted. " Aquarium Cement. — Linseed oil, 3 oz. ; tar,- 4 oz. ; resin, I lb.; melt together over a gentle fire. If too much oil is used the cement will run down the angles of the aquarium; to obvi- ate this it should be tested before using by allowing a small quantity to cool under water ; if not found sufficiently firm, allow it to simmer longer or add more tar and resin. The cement should be poured in the corners of the aquarium while warm (not hot). This cement is pliable, and is not poisonous." Whirligig and the Eel. CHAPTER VI. HOW TO KEEP AQUATIC PLANTS IN THE HOUSE OR FLOWER-GARDEN. In gathering plants for your aquarium you will undoubt- edly see many much too large for your purpose, and yet so beautiful that you naturally desire to keep them. Some water plants are extremely lovely and all of them odd when seen growing anywhere but in their accustomed places. Water- lilies growing in the midst of a lawn will be sure to excite sur- prise, and cat-tails flourishing in a conservatory will be a nov- elty. Yet it is a comparatively simple matter to rear these and other aquatic plants in your house and garden. Water-Lily. Select a spot in your flower-bed and make an excavation o< sufiicient depth to set a water-tight barrel in, so that the top of the barrel will be even with the surface of the ground. Set the barrel in and fill the earth around. In the bottom of the barrel put about eight or ten inches of black pond- mud ; plant the water-lily roots firmly in centre of mud. Fill the barrel with water, being careful to pour it in gradually, so as not to disturb or displace the mud. Figure 54 shows a cross-section of ground and barrel. Everything being then as it is in the nat- ural or wild state, the lily will flourish and bloom, adding a beautiful and curious feature to your plat. Supply fresh watef only as the water in the barrel evaporates. 6o Spring, Cat-Tails. Cat-tails are of graceful form and make a pretty back- ground. At the nearest marsh dig up a bunch of good health> ones and plant them in some of their native mud in a water- tight box or pail. Set the box or pail in the earth. A cover of plank, with a round hole in the centre for the cat-tails to come through, should be put over the top and covered with the sod. Half an inch of water over the surface of the mud in box or pail is all that is necessary. (See illustration, Fig. 55.) Figure 56 shows how cat-tails may be disposed of in-doors, or where it is inconvenient to make room for them in the soil. A very unique and effective floral arrangesSsent may be made by grouping pot-plants around them. CHAPTER VII. HOW TO STOCK AND KEEP A MARINE AQUA- RIUM. The first introduction of the aquarium revealed another world and its inhabitants : a world of enchantment, far surpass- ing any described in the ** Arabian Nights " or fairy tales ; a world teeming with life so strange that some of it we can scarcely believe to be real. The marine aquarium has laid bare secrets that have been locked in the breast of the ocean for ages. Through the crystal sides of the tanks are now shown living animals, of forms so lovely and delicate as to remind us of the tracery of frost-work. We can behold in the transparent waters fishes circling about, with distended fins that resemble the gorgeous wings of but- terflies ; and we can see, glancing here and there, other fish, the glitter of whose glosBy sides dazzles us and is as various in hue as the rainbow. The rocks at the bottom are carpeted with animals in the forms of lovely flowers ! The remarks in regard to the form and general construction of fresh-water aquariums will apply equally to marine tanks. The best form for the latter is the shallow vessel with a slanting false bottom, described in a preceding chapter and illustrated by Figures 51 and 52. If you have a common rectangular tank, such as can be purchased at any aquarium-store (Fig. 50), it may be rendered inhabitable for marine animals by making a few improvements. Four tall glass panels admit too much light ; therefore give the 62 • spring. oittsids of the gb^o a coat of green paint on all but one side, leave that clean and transparent to serve as a window, through which may be observed the interior and its occupants. The rockery or arch that is to occupy the centre of the aquarium should be cemented together with marine cement. Although this is not absolutely necessary, it is the best plan, and prevents many accidents. The following receipt I cull from the Scientific America7t : Cemetit for Marine Aquaria. — Take lO parts, by measure, litharge, lO parts plaster-of-Paris, lO parts dry white sand, I part finely powdered resin, and mix them when wanted for use into a pretty stiff putty with boiled linseed oil. This will stick to wood, stone, metal or glass, and hardens under water. It resists the action of salt water. It is better not to use the tank until three days after it has been cemented. The arch may be built out of clean cinders or ragged and irregular stones ; an old oyster-shell with its rough side upper- most can be used as a top-piece. To make the arch steady and not liable to upset, the bottom should be composed of rather large flat stones. Cover the bottom of the aquarium to a depth of an inch or more with sand from the beach. Procure the salt water from the ocean itself, and if possible obtain the supply some distance from shore. In no case must you dip the water for your aqua- rium up from the mouth of a fresh-water stream or muddy creek. If the tank is narrow and deep, fill only about one-third of 't. Let the water stand in the aquarium for several days bei :)re introducing the plants. Select the bright algae or sea- weeds that you find attached to small pebbles ;,the stones will of course sink to the bottom of your aquarium and keep the plants in an upright and stationary position. After all is ar- ranged to your satisfaction, choose a place for the location of your tank where there will be light enough to plainly see its contents How to Stock a Marine Aquarium, 63 and cause little bubbles of oxygen to collect and rise from the vegetation. A window facing the north or northeast is the . best situation. When you observe that the plants are in a thriv- ing condition, and that a new vegetation has apparently sprung ispontaneously into existence, carpeting the rockery and sides of the glass with green, then and not until then i^itroduce the animals.- Be very careful not to overstock the tank. Remem- ber, no matter how bright and pleasant a room may be v 'th one or two persons in it, the atmosphere of that same. room Jv^ill become foul and heavy In the presence of a large crowd, and if the ventilation be insufficient, headache, di-zziness, and death will ensue, as was the case in the terrible Black Hole of Cal- cutta. Unless you want to make a miniature ** black hole " of your aquarium, do not overcrowd it. Let the water have light, but no sunshine. Put a glass cover over the tank to keep out the dust, but let the cover fit loosely enough to allow a free circulation of air. The glass top-piece will in a measure pre- vent evaporation. If, however, any water is lost from this cause, recollect that the salts contained in sea water do not evaporate, and consequently the tank may be replenished with fresh water equalling the amount evaporated. Beware of the hot summer months. I have always found it more difficult to keep the water pure during July and August than any other part of the year. Do not allow smoking in the room where your aquarium is, as the foul atmosphere taints the water. I once lost almost all the inhabitants of a thriving marine tank, by allowing a party of gentlemen to smoke in the room where it was standing. If you have company in the evening, the room, as a rule, will become overheated, and you should take the pre- ' caution to wrap the sides of the tank with wet towels. The prepared food mentioned in the preceding chapter wil) answer for some salt-water animals. Lean beef, cut in very small- bits, may be dried and kept for feeding marine pets when oysters 64 Spring, or clams cannot be had. The clams and oysters should be chopped up very fine when used. Anemones and madrepores should be fed in quantities regulated by the size of the animals, and not more frequently than once a week. The food should be placed gently within their reach by means of a pair of forceps or some similar instrument. Crabs will soon learn to come out of their hiding-places at meal-times, and the fish will not be behind time in getting their share of chopped clam. If you have a vivarium (Figs. 51 and 52), a handful of fiddler-crabs may be kept upon your artificial beach, where they will soon make themselves at home and afford a constant source of amusement by their an- tics. I kept a lot of little " fiddlers " in a fish globe, and for more than a year they lived without salt water, happy and con- tented with a bit of damp sand to dig in and an occasional piece of chopped oyster to eat. It would be difficult to find odder or more easily satisfied pets than the grotesque little fiddlers. Each male crab has one large claw which for exercise or amuse- ment he keeps in constant motion, only folding it up when preparing to enter his hole or scamper sideways across the sand. The pedunculated eyes of these little creatures stand up in a manner that gives them a very pert appearance. Remove all dead animals or particles of food not devoured by the inmates, from the aquarium, to prevent the water from becoming tainted with poisonous gases emanating from the decaying animal matter. Dead vegetation, though not as inju- rious as dead animals, should nevertheless be removed, for it is unsightly, and makes the water turbid and muddy. No matter how foul sea-water may become, you must not waste it, for the injury is never permanent, and can soon be remedied by filter- ing or exposing it in earthenware vessels to the air and gently stirring it occasionally with a stick or piece of glass. A filter may be made of a flower-pot, by stopping up the hole in the bottom with a perforated cork in which a small How to Stock a Marine AquartMm. 65 quill has been inserted, and then filling the pot half full of pow- dered charcoal^ sand, and gravel— the charcoal at the bottom, the sand next, and the fine gravel or coarse sand on top. This filter when in use should be hung over, but some distance above, an earthen-ware dish, and the water allowed to fall drop by drop, or in a small stream, from the pot to the dish, or the filter may be hung over the aquarium, and each drop of water as it falls will carry with it into the tank below particles of the purifying, life-giving oxygen gathered up onits journey through the air. Fiddler Crabs. CHAPTER VIII. HOW TO COLLECT FOF MARINE AQUARIUM. Near high- water mark, among the sea-weed and drift that have been washed up by a storm, is a veritable curiosity shop, and one well worth* inspecting, but most of the animals to be found in this heterogeneous mass of drift, shells, plants, and pieces of wreck are either badly injured or dead, and, though many valuable specimens may here be obtained for the cabinet or museum, it is not a good place to find living, healthy ani^ mals for the aquarium. If you are going on a collecting tour in search of living ob- jects you must go prepared for a good rough-and-tumble time among slippery stones, muddy bottoms, or grimy old docks and piers. You should wear no clothing that you care to preserve. Salt water will ruin shoes, so put on any old pair that will pro- tect your feet from the shells "or sharp stones ; if the shoes have holes that let the water in, console yourself with the thought that the water can run out the same way. In fact, you must be prepared for a shp-up in the mud, or a good ducking in the shallow water, where the bottom is often so slippery that it is hard to wade far without involuntarily sitting down once or twice. After you have rigged yourself out in "old togs," next equip yourself with a basket to hold upright some glass preserve-jars or a lot of wide-mouthed bottles ; then, armed with a small hammer, an old case-knife or trowel, a dip-net made of coarse bagging or fine mosquito-netting, you are ready for any How to Collect for Marine Aquarium. 67 •>v ' "^ — - — ' ' game from a lobster to the minute little crustacean found among the algae. You should time your excursion so as to be on the hunting- ground at extreme low tide. As soon as you reach the beach wade right into your work ; look under the stones, scoop up the sand or mud with your net from the bottom of all the pools left by the tide, examine every promising-looking bunch of sea-weed, and before the tide comes in you will have material enough to stock forty aquariums. When you reach home sort out your specimens, discard all weak and sickly animals, and put the healthy ones in flat earthenware dishes of salt water, where they may be examined at leisure, and the proper ones taken out and put into your aquarium. In the mud and sand between the tides, or in the shallow water at extreme low tide, live many curious creatures. If you should discover among the dirt in the bottom of your dip-net some queer-looking, tubes, preserve them carefully, for they may contain some of those odd and often brilliantly col- ored marine worms. The inland boy, who is accustomed to see only the unsightly angle-worm, has no idea what really beautiful creatures some of the marine worms are. See, for in- stance, there is something in the mud that looks like a drop of blood. Put it in a plate of salt water and watch how one by one it begins to put forth its tentacles until its whole appear- ance is changed. This is a worm with a long scientific* name, tvhich you may learn by and by if you become interested enough in your recreation to make a study of it. Do not neglect to collect a few barnacles for your aquarium, and you will find yourself amply repaid for the trouble you found in detaching them from their native posts or rocks, when you see them each put forth an odd hand-shaped member, open* * Polycirrus eximius. 68 Spring. ing and closing the numerous long, slender fingers as if the ani- mals inside the shells were grasping for something in the water, as, indeed, they are, for it is by this means that the little hermits in their acorn-shaped houses obtain their food. For collecting in deep water, dredges are used; these are described among the summer sports^ page 86. The Young Collectors. Sumtnei ^^. CHAPTER IX. KNOTS, BENDS, AND HITCHES. The art of tying knots is an al- most necessary adjunct to not a few recreations. Especially is this true of summer sports, many of which are nautical, or in some manner connected with the water. 72 ' Summer. Any boy who has been aboard a yacht or a sail-boat, must have realized that the safety of the vessel and all aboard may be imperilled by ignorance or negligence in the tying of a knot or fastening of a rope. With some, the knack of tying a good, strong knot in a heavy rope, or light cord, seems to be a natural gift ; it is cer- tainly a very convenient accomplishment, and one that with practice and a little perseverance may be acquired even by those who at first make the most awkward and bungling at tempts. A bulky, cumbersome knot is not only ungainly, but is gen- erally insecure. As a rule, the strength of a knot is in direct proportion to its neat and handsome appearance. To my mind, it is as necessary that the archer should know how to make the proper loops at the end of his bow-string, as it is that a hunter should understand how to load his gun. Every fisherman should be able to join two lines neatly and securely, and should know the best and most expeditious method of attaching an extra hook or fly ; and any boy who rigs up a hammock or swing with a *' granny," or other insecure knot, deserves the ugly tumble and sore bones that are more than liable to result from his ignorance. A knot, nautically speaking, is a ** bend " that is more per- manent than a ** hitch." A knot properly tied never slips, nor does it jam so that it cannot be readily untied. A *' hitch" might be termed a temporary bend, as it is seldom relied upon for permanent service. The '' hitch " is so made that it can be cast off, or unfastened, more quickly than a knot. It is impossible for the brightest boy to learn to make •* knots, bends, and hitches " by simply reading over a descrip- tion of the methods ; for, although he may understand them a.' Knots^ Bends^ and Hitches. 73 the time, five minutes after reading the article the process will have escaped his memory ; but if he take a piece of cord or rope, and sit down with the diagrams in front of him, he will find little difficulty in managing the most complicated knots ; and he will not only acquire an accomplishment from which he can derive infinite amusement for himself and a means of entertainment for others, but the knowledge gained may, in case of accident by fire or flood, be the means of saving both life and property. The accompanying diagrams show a number of useful and important bends, splices, etc. To simpHfy matters, let us com- mence with Fig. 57, and go through the diagrams in the order in which they come : The ** English," or ** common single fisherman's knot" (Fig. 57, I.), is neat and strong enough for any ordinary strain. The diagram shows the knots before being tightened and drawn together. When exceptional strength is required it can be obtained by joining the lines in the ordinary single fisherman's knot (Fig. 57, I.), and pulling each of the half knots as tight as possi- ble, then drawing them within an eighth of an inch of each other and wrapping between with fine gut that has been pre- viously softened in water, or with light-colored silk. An additional line, or a sinker may be attached by tying a knot in the end of the extra line, and inserting it between the parts of the single fisherman's knot before they are drawn to- gether and tightened. The '* fisherman's double half knot," Fig. 57 (II. and III.). After the gut has been passed around the main line and through itself, it is passed around the line once more and through the same loop again, and drawn close. Fig. 57 (IV., V. and IX.). Here are three methods of join- ing the ends of two lines together ; the diagrams explain thenj 74 ' Summer, much better than words can. Take a piece of string, try each one, and test their relative strength. Fig- 57 (VI.). It often happens, while fishing, that a hook is caught in a snag, or by some other means lost. The diagram shows the most expeditious manner of attaching another hook by what is known as the ** sinker hitch," described further on (Fig. 57, D, D, D, and Fig. 58, XIV., XV., and XVI.). Fig- 57> VII. is another and more secure method of attach- ing a hook by knitting the line on with a succession of hitches. How To Make a Horse-Hair 'Watch-Guard. The same hitches are used in the manufacture of horse-hair watch-guards, much in vogue with the boys in some sections of the country. As regularly as "kite-time," "top-time," or ** ball-time," comes " horse-hair watch-guard time." About once a year the rage for making watch-guards used to seize the boys of our school, and by some means or other almost every boy would have a supply of horse-hair on hand. With the first tap of the bell for recess, some fifty hands would dive into the mysterious depths of about fifty pockets, and be- fore the bell had stopped ringing about fifty watch-guards, in a more or less incomplete state, would be produced. Whenever a teamster's unlucky stars caused him to stop near the school-house, a chorus of voices greeted him with ** Mister, please let us have some hair from your horses' tails." The request was at first seldom refused, possibly because its nature was not at the time properly understood; but lucky was the boy considered who succeeded in pulling a supply of hair from the horses' tails without being interrupted by the heels of the animals or by the teamster, who, when he saw the swarm of boys tugging at his horses' tails, generally repented his first good-natured assent, and with a gruff "Get out, you young ras- cals ! " sent the lads scampering to the school-yard fence. Knots^ Bends^ and Hitches, 75 Select a lot of long hair of the cplor desired ; make it into a switch about the eighth of an inch thick by tying one end in a simple knot. Pick out a good, long hair and tie it around the switch close to the knotted end ; then take the free end of the single hair in your right hand and pass it under the switch on one side, thus forming a loop through which the end of the hair must pass after it is brought up and over from the other side of the switch. Draw the knot tight by pulling the free end of the hair as shown by Fig. 57, VII. Every time this operation is repeated a wrap and a knot is produced. The knots follow each other in a spiral around the switch, giving it a very pretty, ornamented appearance. When one hair is used up select another, and commence knitting with it as you did with the first, being care- ful to cover and conceal the short end of the first hair, and to make the knots on the second commence where the former stop. A guard made of white horse-hair looks as if it might be composed of spun glass, and produces a very odd and pretty effect. A black one is very genteel in appearance. Miscellaneous. I'lg- 57> VIII. shows a simple and expeditious manner of attaching a trolling hook to a fish-line. Fig. 57, F is a hitch used on shipboard, or wherever lines and cables are used. It is called the Blackwall hitch. Fig. 57, E is a fire-escape made of a double bowHne knot, useful as a sling for hoisting persons up or letting them down from any high place ; the window of a burning building, for in- stance. Fig. 58, XVIII., XIX. and XX. show how this knot is made. It is described on page "]*] . Fig. 57, A is a ** bale hitch," made of a loop of rope. To make it, take a piece of rope that has its two ends joined ; lay the rope down and place the bale on it ; bring the loop oppo- site you up, on that side of the bale, and the loop in front up, 76 ' Summer, on the side of the bale next to you ; thrust the latter loop under and through the first and attach the hoisting rope. The heavier the object to be lifted, the tighter the hitch becomes. An excellent substitute for a shawl-strap can be made of a cord by using the bale hitch, the loop at the top being a first-rate handle. Fig. 57, B is called a cask shng, and C (Fig. 57) is called a butt shng. The manner of making these last two and their uses may be seen by referring to the illustration. It will be noticed that a line is attached to the bale hitch in a peculiar manner (a. Fig. 57)- This is called the *' anchor bend." If while aboard a sail-boat you have occasion to throw a bucket over for water, you will find the anchor bend a very convenient and safe way to attach a line to the bucket handle. Fig. 58, I. and II. are loops showing the elements of the sim- plest knots. Fig. 58, III. is a simple knot commenced. Fig. 58, IV. shows the simple knot tightened. Fig. 58, V. and VI. show how the Flemish knot looks when commenced and finished. Fig. 58, VII. and VIII. show a '' rope knot " commenced, and finished. Fig. 58, IX. is a double knot commenced. Fig. 58, X. is the same completed. Fig. 58, XI. shows a back view of the double knot. Fig. 58, XII. is the first loop of a "bowline knot." One end of the line is supposed to be made fast to some object. After the turn or loop (Fig. 58, XII.) is made, hold it in posi. tion with your left hand and pass the end of the line up through the loop or turn you have just made, behind and over the line above, then down through the loop again, as shown In the dia- gram (Fig. 58, XIII.) ; pull it tight and the knot is complete. The ** sinker hitch" is a very handy one to know* and the Knoh^ Bends^ and Hitches, 77 variety of nses it may be put to will be at once suggested by the diagram's. Lines that have both ends ntade fast may have weights attached to them by means of the sinker hitch (Fig. 57, D, D, D). To accomplish this, first gather up some slack and make it in the form of the loop (Fig. 58, XIV.) ; bend the loop back on itself (Fig. 58, XV.) and slip the weight through the double loop" thus formed (Fig. 58, XVI.) ; draw tight by pulHng the two top lines, and the sinker hitch is finished (Fig. 58, XVII.). The *' fire-escape sling" previously mentioned, and illus- trated by Fig. 57, E, is made with a double line. Proceed at first as you would *o make a simple bewline knot (Fig. 58, XVIIL). After you have run the end loop up through the tufn (Fig. 58, XIX.), bend it downward and over the bottom loop and turn, then up again until it is in the position shown in Fig. 5S, XX. ; pull it downward until the knot is tiglrtened, as in Fig. 57, E, and it makes a safe sling in which to lower a person from any height. The longer loop serves for a seat, and the shorter one, coming under the arms, makes a rest for the back. Fig. 58, XXI. is called a " boat knot," and is made with the aid of a stick. It is an excellent knot for holding weights which may want instant detachment. To detach it, lift the weight slightly and push out the stick, and instantly the knot is untied. Fig. 58, XXII. Commencement of a *' six-fold knot." Fig. 58, XXIII. Six-fold knot completed by drawing th^ two ends with equal force. A knot drawn in this manner is said to be ** nipped." Fig. 58, XXIV. A simple hitch or *' double " used in mak- ing loop knots. 78 . Summer, Fig. 58, XXV. '^ Loop knot." Fig. 58, XXVI. shows how the loop knot is commenced. Fig. 58, XXVII. is the " Dutch double knot," sometimes called the ** Flemish loop." Fig. 58, XXVIII. shows a common " running knot." Fig. 58, XXIX. A running knot with a check knot to hold. Fig. 58, XXX. A running knot checked. Fig. 58, XXXI. The right hand part of the rope shows how to make the double loop for the " twist knot." The left hand part of the same rope shows a finished twist knot. It is made by taking a half turn on both the right hand and left hand lines of the double loop, and passing the end through the '* bight" (loop) so made. Whip-Lashes. Fig. 58, XXXII. is called the '' chain knot," which is often used in braiding leather whip-lashes. To make a ** chain knot," fasten one end of the thong or line ; make a simple loop and pass it over the left hand ; retain hold of the free end with the right hand ; with the left hand seize the line above the right hand and draw a loop through the loop already formed ; finish the knot by drawing it tight with the left hand. Repeat the operation until the braid is of the required length, then secure it by passing the free end through the last loop. Fig. 58, XXXIII. shows a double chain knot. Fig. 58, XXXIV. is a double chain knot pulled out. It shows how the free end is thrust through the last loop. Fig. 58, XXXV. Knotted loop for end of rope, used to pre- vent the end of the rope from slipping, and for various othet purposes. Splices, Timber-Hitches, etc. Although splices may not be as useful to boys as knots and hitches, for the benefit of those among my readers who are Knots^ Bends^ and Hitches. . 79 interested in the subject, I have introduced a few bands and splices on the cables partly surrounding Fig. 58. Fig. 58, <3: shows the knot and upper side of a '* simple band." Fig. 58, b shows under side of the same. Fig. 58, c and d show a tie with cross ends. To hold the ends of the cords, a turn is taken under the strands. Fig. 58, e andy. Bend with cross strands, one end looped over the other. Fig- 58, ^ shows the upper side of the "necklace tie." Fig. 58, h shows the underside of the same. The advantage 01 this tie is that the greater the strain on the cords, the tighter it draws the knot. Fig. 58, i andy* are slight modifications of^ and h. Fig. 58, / shows the first position of the end of the ropes for making the splice k. Untwist the strands and put the ends of two ropes together as close as possible, and place the strands of the one between the ftrands of the other alter- nately, so as to interlace, as in k. This splice should only be used when there is not time to make the " long splice," as the short one is not very strong. From / to M is a long splice, made by underlaying the strands of each of the ropes joined about half the length of the splice, and putting eaah strand of the one between two of the other ; q shows the strands arranged for the long splice. Fig. 58, ;/ is a simple mode of making a hitch on a rope. Fig. 58, ^ is a '* shroud knot." Fig. 58, r shows a very convenient way to make a handle on a rope, and is used upon large ropes when it is necessary fof several persons to take hold to pull. Fig. 59, A. Combination of half hitch and timber hitch. Fig. 59, B. Ordinary half hitch. Fig. 59, C. Ordinary timber hitch. Fig- S9» ^' Another timber hitch, called the ** clove hitch.' 8o . SMfnmer. Fig. 59, E. " Hammock hitch," used for binding bales of goods or cloth. Fig. 59, F. " Lark-head knot," used by sailors and boat- men for mooring their crafts. Fig. 59, P shows a lark-head fastening to a running knot. Fig. 59, G is a double-looped lark-head. Fig. 59, H shows a double-looped lark-head knot fastened to the ring of a boat. Fig- 59> I is a ''treble lark-head." To make it you must first tie a single lark-head, then divide the two heads and use each singly, as shown in the diagram. Fig. 59, J shows a simple boat knot with one turn. Fig. 59, K. ".Crossed running knot." It is a strong and handy tie, not as difficult to make as appears to be. Fig. 59, L is the bowline knot, described by the diagrams XII. and XIII. (Fig. 58). The free end of the knot is made fast by binding it to th^ ''bight" or the loop. It makes^ a secure sling for a man to sit in at his work among the rigging. Fig. 59, M, N, and O. ** Slip clinches," or '' sailors' knots." Fig. 59, Q shows a rope fastened by the chain hitch. The knot at the left-hand end explains a simple way to prevent a rope from unraveUing. , Fig. 59, R. A timber hitch ; when tightened the line binds around the timber so that it will not slip. Fig. 59, S. Commencement of simple lashing knot. Fig. 59, T. Simple lashing knot finished. Fig. 59, U. " Infallible loop ; " not properly a timber hitch, but useful in a variety of ways, and well adapted for use in archery. Fig. 59, V. Same as R, reversed. It looks like it mighl give way under a heavy strain, but it will not. Fig, 59, W. Running knot with two ends. ^ Knots^ Bends^ and Hitches. 8i Fig. 59, X. Running knot with a check knot that can only be opened with a marline-spike. Fig- 59> Y- A two-ended running knot with a check to the running loops. This knot can be untied by drawing both ends of the cord. Fig. 59, Z. Running knot with two ends, fixed by a double Flemish knot. When you wish to encircle a timber with this tie, pass the ends, on which the check knot is to be, through the cords before they are drawn tight. This will require con- siderable practice. Fig. 59, a shows an ordinary twist knot. Fig. 59, a' shows the form of loop for builder's knot. Fig. 59, b. Double twist knot. Fig- 59> <^- Builder's knot finished. Fig. 59, d represents a double builder's knot. Fig. 59, e. ''Weaver's knot," same as described under the head of Becket hitch (Fig. 57, V). Fig. 59, /. Weaver's knot drawn tight. Fig. 59, g shows how to commence a reef knot. This is useful for small ropes ; with ropes unequal in size the knot is likely to draw out of shape, as nt. Fig. 59, h shows a reef knot completed. Of all knots, avoid the ** granny;" it is next to useless under a strain, and marks the tier as a *' landlubber." Fig. 59, i shows a granny knot ; n shows a granny under strain. Fig. 59, j shows the commencement of a common ** rough knot." Fig. 59, k. The front view of finished knot. Fig. 59, /. The back view of finished knot. Although this knot will not untie nor slip, the rope is likely to part at one side if the strain is great. Awkward as it looks, this tie is very useful at times on account of the rapidity with which it can be made, 6 82 ' SummeK Fig- 59» o ^^^ P' Knot commenced and finished, used foi the same purposes as the Flemish knot. Fig- 59» ^ ^i^*===*v c^ than the air, the bubble, when freed f 1 ..fisi r^ from the pipe, will rapidly ascend and never stop in its upward course until it perishes. Old Uncle Cassius, an aged negro down in Kentucky, used to amuse the children by making smoke-bubbles. Did you ever see smoke-bubbles ? In one the white-blue smoke, in beau- tiful curves, will curl and circle under its crystal shell. Another will possess a lovely opalescent, pearly appearance, and if one be thrown from the pipe while quite small and densely filled with smoke, it will appear like an opaque polished ball of milky whiteness. It is always a great frolic for th& children when they catch Uncle Cassius smoking his corn-cob pipe. They gather around his knee with their bowl of soapsuds and bub- ble pipes, and while the good-natured old man takes a few lusty whiffs from his corn-cob and fills his capacious mouth with tobacco smoke, one of the children dips a pipe into the suds, starts the bubble and passes it to Uncle Cassius. All then stoop down and watch the gradual growth of that wonderful smoke- bubble ; and when ** Dandy," the dog, chases and catches one of these bubbles, how the children laugh to see the astonished and injured look upon his face, and what fun it is to see him Gas-bubble. sneeze and rub his n&se with his paw I Novelties in Soap- Bubbles, 135 The figure at the head of this chapter shows you how to make a giant bubble. It is done by first covering your hands well with soapsuds, then placing them together so as to form a cup, leaving a small opening at the bottom. AH that is then necessary is to hold your mouth about a foot from your hands and blow into them. I have made bubbles in this way twice the size of my head. These bubbles are so large that they in- variably burst upon striking the floor, being unable to withstand the concussion. Although generally considered a trivial amusement, only fit for young children, blowing soap-bubbles has been an occupa- tion appreciated and indulged in by great philosophers and men of science, and wonderful discoveries in optics and natural philosophy might be made with only a clay-pipe and a bowl of soapsuds. CHAPTER XV, FOURTH OP JULY BALLOONS WITH NEW AND NOVEL ATTACHMENTS. Did you ever, while watching a beautiful soap-bubble dance merrily through the air, think how closely it resembled the im- mense silken bubble beneath which the daring aeronaut goes bounding among the clouds ? Especially is this true of the gas-bubble described in the foregoing chapter. When a boy, the author's ambition natur- ally led him from these vapor balloons to experimenting in more lasting material than soap- suds. He then devoted his atten- tion for some time to paper bal- loons, and, after numerous experi- ments and disasters, succeeded in building balloons of a style which is comparatively safe from acci- dent and seldom the cause of a mortifying failure. If you do not want to disappoint the spectators by having a fire instead of an as- Too long a neck (unsafe). ccnsion, avoid models with small mouth-openings or narrow necks. Experience has also taught the writer that balloons of good, substantial, portly build go up best and make their journey in a stately, dignified manner, while the slim, narrow balloon, on the contrary, even if it sue- Fourth of yuly BaKoons. 137 ceeds in getting a safe start, goes bobbing through the air, turning this way and that, until the flame from the fire-ball Too Square and Narrow (unsafe). Too Narrow (unsafe). touches and lights the thin paper, leaving only a handful of ashes floating upon the summer breeze. The reader can see here illustrated some of the objectionable Round Balloon (safe). Slightly Elongated Balloon (safe). shapes as well as some of the safe styles. For large balloons, strong manila-paper is best ; for smaller ones, use tissue-paper," 138 Summer. Pumpkin-shaped Balloon (safe). When you build a balloon, decide first what height you want it ; then make the side pieces or gores nearly a third longer ; a balloon of thirteen gores, each six feet long and one foot great- est width, when distended with hot air ready to ascend, is a lit- tle over four feet high. For such a balloon, first make a pattern of stiff brown paper by which to cut the gores. To make the pattern, take a strip of paper six feet long and a little over one foot wide ; fold the paper in the centre length- wise, so that it will be only slightly over a half foot from the edges to the fold. Along the bottom measure two inches from the fold and mark the point. At one foot from the bottom, at right angles from the folded edge, measure three inches and one-half, and mark the point ; in the same manner mark ofif five inches from two feet up the fold. From a point three feet four inches from the bot- tom measure ofif six inches />;>>^^ and mark the point ; from this ^^^ place the width decreases. At '^^ the fourth foot mark a point five inches and one half from . t_ r 1 J t_ i. ^1 -1 Regular- shaped Balloon (safe). the fold ; about three mches & ^ \ > and a third at the fifth foot ; nothing, of course, at the sixth foe*" '^f ta^- where the gore will come to a point. With chalk Fourth of yuly Balloons. 139 or pencil draw a curved line connecting these points ; cut the paper along this line and unfold it. You will have a pattern the shape of a cigar, four inches Fig. 97.— Single Gore. wide at the bottom, one foot greatest width, and six feet long. After pasting your sheets of manila or tissue-paper togethei in strips of the required length cut out thirteen gores by the pattern just made ; lay one of these gores flat upon the floor, as in Fig. 98.— Single Gore Folded. Fig' 97 ; fol<^ it in the centre, as in Fig. 98 ; over this lay another gore, leaving a margin of the under gore protruding from be- neath (Fig. 99). With a brush cover the protruding edge with paste, then turn it up and over upon the upper gore, and with Fig. 99. — Folded Gore with a second Gore over it, ready for Pasting. a towel or rag press it down until the two edges adhere. Fold the Upper gore in the centre as you did the first one, and lay a third gore upon it ; paste the free protruding edge ; and so on I40 Summer, until all thirteen are pasted. It will be found that the bottom gore and top gore have each an edge unpasted ; lay these two edges together and paste them neatly. Next you must make a hoop of rattan or some light sub- FiG. loo. stance to fit the mouth openings which will be about one foot and a half in diameter. Fasten the hoop in by pasting the edges of the mouth opening around it. In very large paper balloons it is well to place a piece of string along the edge of each gore and paste it in, letting the ends of the strings hang down below the mouth ; fasten the hoop in with these ends before pasting the paper over it. It will be found next to impossible to tear the hoop from a balloon, strengthened in this manner, with- out totally destroying the balloon. Should you discover an open- ing at the top of your balloon, caused by the points not joining exactly, tie it up with a string if it be small, but if it be a large hole paste a piece of paper over it. When dry, take a fan and fan the balloon as full of air as you can, and while it is inflated make a thorough inspection of all sides to see that there are no accidental tears, holes or rips. Fig. 100 shows the cross wires that support the fire-ball. The latter is best made of old-fashioned lamp-wick wound,* rather loosely, in the form of a ball, the size depending upon the dimensions of the balloon. The sponge comm,orily used Top View of Hoop and Cross Wire. Wick-ball. Side View of Hoop showing Wick- ball hung In place. Fourth of yuly Balloons, 141 soon burns out and the balloon comes down in a very little while ; but the wick-ball here described seldom fails to propel the little air-ship upward and onward out of sight. A short, fine wire should next be run quite through the wick-ball, so that it can be attached to the mouth of the balloon in an instant by hooking the ends of this wire over the cross wires at the mouth. If you use a little care you will have no difficulty in send-, ing up the balloon. Place your wick-ball in a pan Or dish, put the corked bottle of alcohol beside it, and about thirty feet away make a simple fire-place of bricks or stones, over wh^ch place a piece of stove-pipe. Fill the fire-place with shavings, twisted pieces of paper, or anything that will light readily and make; a good blaze. In a loop of string fastened at the top of the bal- loon for that purpose let one of the party put the end of a smooth stick, and, with the other end in his hand, mount sonjie elevated position and hold the balloon over the fire-place. Be- fore touching a match to the combustibles below, expand the balloon as much as possible b}h fanning it full of air '} then light the fire. Be very careful, in all the process that follo|vs, to hold the mouth of the balloon directly above and not tcio near the stove-pipe, to prevent the blaze from setting fire to the paper, which will easily ignite. At this stage of the proceedings one person must take the bottle of alcohol, uncork it, and p6ur the contents over the wick-ball in the basin, and the ball must be made tb' soak up all it will hold of the spirits. The balloon will become mofe and more buoyaii^^^ the air becomes heated inside, and at length, when disteh'd^d %W its utmost, it will be- gin puUing to free itself. HokJlM^«!lfe' hoop at the mouth, Wcilk to one side of the fire and #itn%l^^ have the ball at- tached securely in place. ToucH^a^Bght io it, and it will blaze up.' At the wofds *'* All right," let ^0.' IThe sarnie instant the stick iiiu'st be slid from the loop -on top, so- as not to tear 142 Summer. the paper, and away will sail the balloon upon its airjf voyage. Never attempt to send up a balloon upon a windy day, for the wind will be sure, sooner or later, to blow the blaze aside and set the paper on fire, and if once it catches up in the air there is not much use in trying to save it. After you have made a balloon like the one just described and sent it up successfully, you can try other shapes. A very good plan in experimenting is to make a small working model of light tissue-paper, fill it with cold air by means of an ordinary fan, and when it is expanded any defect in form or proportion can be readily detected and remedied. If it be too narrow, cut it open at one seam and put in an- other gore, or vice versa, un- til you are satisfied with the result ; with this as a pattern, construct your larger balloon. Such a model, eighteen inches high, lies upon the writer's Fig. lOi.^^Method of pasting Paper and Strings for Parachute. table. He has sent it up in the house several times by holding it a few moments over a burning gas-jet. The balloon rapidly fills with heated air, and when freed soars up to the ceiling, where it rolls along until the air cools, then falls gently to the floor. The parachute shown in the tail-piece is simply a square piece of paper with a string at each of the four corners, meeting' a short distance underneath, where a weight is attached. Fig. lOi shows how to make one that will not tear. It is made of two square pieces of paper. Two pieces of string are laid diag- onally across the first paper ; on top of this the second piece of Pourth of yuty Balloons. 143 i> paper is pasted, enclosing the strings without /T disturbing them ; the ends of the strings come out at the corners. These parachutes are attached to a wire that hangs from the balloon in this manner : From the centre and top of the parachute is h^ a string, we will say, a foot long ; this is tied securely to one end of the large fuse from a pack of Chinese fire-crackers ; a few inches from the other end of the fuse another string is tied and fastened to the wire. Just as the balloon starts the free end of the fuse is lighted (Fig. 102). When it has burned itself away past the point where the lower string has been fastened, it of course severs the connection between the parachute and the balloon, and the parachute drops, but does not go far, be- fore the air beneath spreads it out, the weight at the bottom balances it, and it floats away slowly, settling lower and lower, but often travelling miles before finally reaching the earth. All manner of objects may be attached to a parachute — notes addressed to possible find- ers,- letters, or figures of men or animals. The latter look very odd in the air. A real passenger balloon may be very closely imitated by painting crossed black lines upon the upper part of a paper balloon to rep- resent the net-work. A pasteboard balloon- car, made after the manner shown in Fig. 103, and holding two pasteboard men cut out as chute attach'ed"toTh0 shown in Fig. 104, may be hung on by jhook- F^^e and Wire. 144 Summer. Fig. 103.— The Car. ing the wires attached to the- car over the hoop at the mouth of the balloon. When the balloon and car are a little distance up in the air, it takes a sharp eye to detect the deception, because dis- tance in the air cannot be easily judged. But so far we have dealt only with day bal- loons ; for night, you must attach some luminous ob- ject. A lantern made like the one described in ** Kite-time " (Fig. 29) may be fastened to the balloon by a long string and wire, and when it goes swinging after vhe larger hght above, it has a curious appearance. In a similar manner, a long string of lan- terns may be hung on to a large balloon, or packs of Chinese crackers may be exploded in mid-air by means of a fuse. The writer has experi- mented in other fireworks, but found them very danger- ous to handle. Mr. Stall- knecht, of the Hat, Cap and Fur Trade Review^ how- ever, showed the author how to make a simple, safe, and beautiful pyrotechnic Fig. 104.— A Couple of Aeronauts. out of a Roman candle with colored balls, a piece of wire and a fuse. The fuse used can be bought in almost siny city or town ; Fourth of July Balloons. 145 I^fifibt BaUooa. 146 Summer. It is sold to miners for setting off blasts. With the wire make a sort of wheel, with two or three spokes ; cut open the Roman candle and extract the powder and balls ; wrap up each ball with some of the powder loosely in a piece of tissue-paper and tie the paper at the ends upon the spokes or cross wires of the wheel, as shown in Fig. 105. Run the fuse spirally around, pass- 5ys§ ing through each parcel containing a ball, arid allow the long end of the fuse to trail down beneath from the centre or side (Fig. 106). To the rim of the wire wheel attach several wires of equal lengths with hooked ends ; hook these on to the hoop at the mouth of the balloon just before JJ letting it go, and light the trailing end P of the fuse. As the fire creeps slowly f iG. 105. along, the balloon mounts higher and higher. Suddenly the whole balloon glows with a ruddy, lurid glare. The fire has reached the first ball. In another instant you see a floating globe of pale green light, then blue, and so on, until all the balls are con- sumed. Showers of pretty, J jagged sparks are falling con- stantly during the illumina- tion, caused by the burning powder. By the time all is ,1 ,. r ui. r ♦-r. FiG. 106.— Fireworks. over the tmy light of the soHtary ball in the balloon looks like a star in the sky above* Fourth of yuly Balloons. 147 travelling where the wind chooses to blow it. The most experi- enced aeronaut has but very little more command over the ac- tions of his immense silken air-ship than has the young amateur who builds his balloon of tissue-paper and sends it skyward with a ball of fire for its motive power. Through the Clouds. CHAPTER XVL HOW TO CAMP OUT WITHOUT A TENT. The next best thing to really living in the woods is talking over such an experience. A thousand Httle incidents," scarcely thought of at the time, crowd upon my mind, and bring back with them the feeling of freedom and adventure so dear to the heart of every boy. Shall I ever enjoy any flavor earth can afford as we did our coffee's aroma ? The flapjacks — how good and appetizing ! the fish — how delicate and sweet ! And the wonderful cottage of boughs, thatched with the tassels of the pine — was there ever a cottage out of a fairy tale that could compare with it ? In fancy I can see it now. There stands the little cot, flooded with the light of the setting sun ; those who built it and use it for a habitation are off exploring, hunting, fishing, and foraging for their evening meal, and the small, shy creatures of the wood take the opportunity to satisfy the curiosity with which they have, from a safe distance, viewed the erection of so large and singular a nest. The boys will soon return, each with his contribution to the larder — a fish, a squirrel, a bird, or a rabbit, which will be cooked and eat^n with better appetite and enjoyment than the most elaborate viands that home could afford. And although such joys are denied to me now, I can, at least, in remembering them, give others an opportunity to possess similar pleasures. It shall be my object to describe how these houses may be built and these dinners cooked, and that, too, where there are How to Camp Out without a Tent 149 150 Summer. neither planks, nor nails, nor stoves. To boys well, informed in woodcraft, only a few hints need be given ; but for the benefit of amateurs we will go more into detail. Four persons make a good camping-party. Before arriving at their destination these persons should choose one of their number as captain. The captain gives directions and superintends the pitching of the tent or the building of the rustic cottage. The site for the camp should be upon a knoll, mound, or rising ground, so as to afford a good drainage. If the forest abounds in pine trees, the young cottage-builder's task is an easy one. It often happens that two or three trees already standing can be made to serve for the corners of the proposed edifice, though trees for corners are not absolutely necessary. Fig. 107 represents part of the framework of one of the simplest forms of rustic cottage. In this case, two trees serve for the two posts of the rear wall. The front posts are young trees that have been cut down and firmly planted at about four or five paces in front of the trees, as shown in the illustration. Enough of the branches have been left adhering to the trunks of the upright posts to serve as rests for the cross bars. To prevent complication in the diagram, the roof is not shown. To make this, fasten on an additional cross bar or two to the rear wall, then put a pole at each side, slanting down from the rear to the front, and cover these poles with cross sticks. When the framework is finished, the security and durability of the structure will be improved by fastening all the loose joints, tying them together with withes of willow, grass, or reeds. The next step is to cover the frame. This is done after the method shown in Fig. 108. From among some boughs, saved for this purpose, take one and hang it upon the third cross bar, counting from the ground up ; bring the bough down, passing it inside the second bar and resting the end on the How to Camp Out without a Tent, 151 ground outside the first bar ; repeat this with other boughs un- til the row is finished. Then begin at the fourth bar, passing the boughs down inside the third and outside the second bar, so that they will overlap the first row. Continue in this man- FiG. 108.— The way to Thatch. ner until the four walls are closed in, leaving spaces open where windows or doors are wanted. The roof is thatched after the same method, beginning at the front and working upward and backward to the rear wall, each row overlapping the preceding row of thatch. The more closely and compactly you thatch the roof and walls, the better protection will they afford from any passing shower. This completed, the house is finished, and you will be astonished to see what a lovely little green cot you have built. A cottage may be built differing from the one we have just described by having the roof extended "so as to form a sort of 152 • shimmer. verandah, or porch, in front ; the floor of the porch may be covered with a layer of pine-needles. Should you find your house too small to accommodate your party, you can, by erect- ing a duplicate cottage four or five paces at one side, and roof ing over the intervening space, have a house of two rooms with an open hall-way between. Before going to housekeeping, some furniture will be neces- sary ; and for this we propose to do our shopping right in the neighborhood of our cottage. Here is our cabinet and uphol- stery shop, in the wholesome fragrance of the pines. After the labor of building, your thoughts will naturally turn to a place for sleeping. Cut four forked sticks, sharpen the ends, and drive them firmly into the ground at the spot where you wish the bed to stand in your room. Two strong poles, long enough to reach lengthwise from fork to fork, will serve for side boards ; a number of short sticks will answer for slats ; after these are fastened in place you have the rustic bedstead shown in Fig. 109. A good spring mattress is very desir- able, and not difficult to obtain. Gather a lot of small green branches, or brush, and cover your bed' stead with a layer of Fig. 109 — ^Bedstead. •. 1 ^ r - it about one foot thick ; this you will find a capital substitute for springs. For your mattress proper, go to your upholstery shop under the pine tree and gather several armfuls of the dry pine-needles; cover the elastic brush springs with a thick layer of these needles ; over this spread your India-rubber blanket, with the rubber side under, so that any moisture or dampness there may be in your mattress may be prevented from coming through You may now make up your bed with what wraps or blan Fig. xio.— Bed made up. How to Camp Out without a Tent 153 kets you have with you, and you have (Fig. i lO) as complete and comfortable a bed as any forester need wish for. In the place of pine-needles, hay or grass may be used. I have slept very comfortably __ ^. upon a brush mat- ^JjMSLiiS^^^ tress covered with iron-weed.* I would suggest to any boy who means to try this rustic cabinet-making, to select carefully for the bed^posts sticks strong enough to support the weight he intends them to bear, otherwise his slumbers may be interrupted in an abrupt and disagreeable manner. My first experiment in this line proved disastrous. I spent the greater part of one day in building and neatly finishing a bed like the one described. After it was made up, with an army blanket for a coverlid, it looked so soft, comfortable, and inviting that I scarcely could wait for bed- time to try it. When the evening meal was over and the last story told around the blazing camp-fire, I took off hat, coat, and boots and snuggled down in my new and original couch, curiously watched by my companions, who lay, rolled in their blankets, upon the hard ground. It does not take a boy long to fall asleep, particularly after a hard da5^'s work in the open air, but it takes longer, after being aroused from a sound nap, for him to get his wits together — especially when suddenly dumped upon the ground with a crash, amid a heap of broken sticks and dry brush, as I happened to be on that eventful night. Loud and long were the shouts of laughter of my companions * Iron-weed ; flat -top (Vernonia noveboracensis) ; a common Kentucky weed, with beautiful purple blossoms. 154 Summer. when they discovered my misfortune. Theoretically, the bed was well planned, but practically it was a failure, because it had rotten sticks for bed-posts. •Having provided bed and shelter, it is high time to look after the inner boy ; and while the foragers are off in search of provisions, it will be the cook's duty to provide some method of cooking the food that will be brought in. One of the simplest and most practical forms of bake-oven can be made of clay and an old barrel. Remove one head of the barrel, scoop out a space in the nearest bank, and fit the barrel in (Fig. iii). If the mud or clay is not damp enough. "^ :/^i!^P Fig. III. — Barrel in Bank. moisten it and plaster it over the barrel to the depth of a foot or more, leaving a place for a chimney at the back end, where part of a stave has been cut away ; around this place build a chimney of sticks arranged log-cabin fashion and plastered with mud (Fig. 112). After this, make a good, rousing fire in the barrel, and keep adding fuel until all the staves are burned out and the surrounding clay is baked hard. This makes an oven How to Camp Out without a Tent, 155 that will bake as well, if not better, than any new patented stove or range at home. To use it, build a fire inside and let it burn until the oven is thoroughly heated, then rake out all the coal and embers, put your dinner in and close up the front Fig. 112.— Heating the Oven. with the head of the barrel preserved for this purpose. The clay will remain hot for several hours and keep the inside of the oven hot enough to roast meat or bake bread. If there be no bank convenient, or if you have no barrel with which to build this style of oven, there are other methods that will answer for all the cooking necessary to a party of boys camping out. Many rare fish have I eaten in my time. The 156 Summer. delicious pompano at New Orleans, the brook-trout and gray- ling, fresh from the cold water of Northern Michigan, but neve; Fig. 113.— a Stone Stove. have I had fish taste better than did a certain large cat-fish that we boys once caught on a set-line in Kentucky. We built a fire-place of flat stones, a picture of which you have in Fig. 113, covered it with a thin piece of slate, cleaned the fish and with its skin still on, placed it upon the slate. When it was brown upon one side we turned it over until it was thoroughly cooked. With green sticks we lifted off the fish and placed it upon a piece of clean bark ; the skin adhered to the stone, and the meat came Fig. 114. — A Butter-Knife. cc ' 1 • off m smokmg, snowy pieces, which we ate with the aid of our pocket-knives and rustic forks made of small green twigs with the forked ends sharpened. How to Camp Out without a Tent. 157 If stones cannot be had to answer for this stove, there still remains the old, primitive camp-fire and pot-hook. The very sight of this iron pot swing- ing over a blazing fire sug- gests soup, to eat which with any comfort spoons are necessary. These are quickly and easily made by thrusting clam or mussel shells into splits made in the ends of sticks. A splendid butter-knife can be made from the shell of a razor-oyster with a little care in a similar manner (see Fig. 1 14). Fig. 115.— Frame of Rustic Chair. If you stay any time in your forest home you can, by a lit- tle ingenuity, add many comforts and conveniences. I have drawn some diagrams, as hints, in this direction. For instance, Fig. 115 shows the manner of making an excellent rustic chair of two stout poles and two cross, poles, to which are fastened the ends of a piece of can- vas, carpet or leather (Fig. 1 16), which, swinging loose, fits itself exactly to your form, making. a most com- fortable easy-chair in which to rest or take a nap after a hard day's tramp. It of- &^^. i'lG. 116.— The Rustic Chair Finished. 158 Summer ^>"- ten happens that the peculiar formation of some stump oi branch suggests new styles of seats. A table can be very readily made by driving four forked sticks into the ground for legs, and covering the cross sticks upon the top with pieces of birch or other smooth bark. Fig. 117 shows a table made in this manner, with one piece of bark removed to reveal its construction. As a general rule, what is taught in boys' books, though correct in Fig. 117. -A Camp Table. theory, when tried proves impracticable. This brings to mind an incident that hap- pened to a party of young hunters camping out in Ohio. Early one morning one of the boys procured from a distant farm-house a dozen pretty little white bantam eggs. Having no game, and only one small fish in the way of fresh meat, the party congrat- ulated themselves upon the elegant breakfast they would make of fresh eggs, toasted crackers, and coffee. How to cook the eggs was the question. One of the party proposed his plan. *' I have just read a book," said he, *' which tells how some travellers cooked fowls and fish by rolling them up in clay and tossing them into the fire. Shall we try that plan with the eggs ? " The rest of the party assented, and soon all were busy roll- ing rather large balls of blue clay, in the centre of each of which was an ^%%. A dozen were placed in the midst of the hottest embers, and the boys seated themselves around the fire, impa- tiently waiting for the eggs to cook. They did cook — with a vengeance ! Zip, bang ! went one, then another and another, until, in less time than it takes to tell it, not an ^^^ remained unexploded ; and the hot embers and bits of clay that stuck to How to Camp Out without a Tent, 159 the boys' hair and clothes were all that was left to remind them of those nice, fresh bantam eggs. It was all very funny, but ever after the boys of that party showed the greatest caution in trying new schemes, no matter how well they might seem to be endorsed. Hints to Amateur Campers. From time immemorial it has been the custom of the city fellows to laugh at their country cousins, and to poke all man- ner of fun at them on account of their verdancy in regard to city manners and customs. This is hardly fair, for if a real city fellow be placed on a farm, or in the woods, his ignorance is just as laughable and absurd. It was only the other day I saw a young New York artist refuse to drink from a spring because something was bubbling up at the bottom. Experience is a great teacher. Even the artist just mentioned, after mak- ing himself sick upon stagnant water, would, no doubt, learn to select bubbling springs in the future. A few timely hints may, however, prevent many mishaps and unpleasant accidents. Provisions. It is always desirable to take as large a stock of provisions as can be conveniently transported. In these days of canned meats, soups, vegetables, and fruits, a large amount of provi' sions may be stored in a small space. Do not fail to take a plentiful supply of salt, pepper, and sugar ; also bacon, flour, meal, grits, or hominy, tea, coffee, and condensed milk. If you have a;iy sort of luck with your rod, gun, or traps, the forest and stream ought to supply fresh meat, and with the appe- tite only enjoyed by people who live out doors you can **live like a king." Shelter. Because I have described but one sort of shelter my read- ers must not suppose that it is absolutely necessary to build a i6o ' Summer. cottage like the one described. On the contrary, there are a thousand different plans that will suggest themselves to fellows who are accustomed to camping out. The huts, or sheds, built of ** slabs " by some of the Adirondack hunters are very con- venient, but unless the open ends are protected, in time of a storm, the rain is apt to. drive in and soak the inmates. The two sheds face each other, and in the middle of the space be- tween the camp-fire blazes, throwing a ruddy light at night into both compartments. By taking advantage of a rock, a fallen or uprooted tree, the work of building a hut is ofttimes materially lessened. Tents, of course, are very handy and comfortable, and if obtainable should by all means be used. At least one or two good sharp hatchets should form a part of the equipment of every camp ; it is astonishing, with their aid and a little prac- tice, what a comfortable house may be built in a very short time. Choosing Companions. Never join a camping party that has among its members a single peevish, irritable, or selfish person, or a "shirk." Although the company of such a boy may be only slightly an- noying at school or upon the play-ground, in camp the com* panionship of a fellow of this description becomes unbearable. Even if the game fill the woods and the waters are alive with fish, an irritable or selfish companion will spoil all the fun and take the sunshine out of the brightest day. The whole party should be composed of fellows who are willing to take things as they come and make the best of everything. With such companions there is no such thing as ''bad luck ; " rain or shine everything is always jolly, and when you return from the woods, strengthened in mind and body, you will always remem ber with pleasure your camping experience. CHAPTER XVII. BIRD SINGERS, ETC. Very many amusing contrivances can be made of the most simple materials. I have seen boys pluck a blade of grass, and, by simply stretching it edgewise between their thumbs, make a musical instrument with which they could imi- tate the notes of a singing bird so closely as to perfectly deceive persons not in the secret. After placing the blade of grass, as shown by the illus- tration, put your lips to your thumbs at the hol- low between the joints and blow. The result will be a shrill noise which, with very little practice, can be made to resemble the notes of different wild birds. The Block Bird Singer. The illustration (Fig. Ii8) shows an Instrument made upon the same principle as the ** bird singer " just described. The *' block bird singer " consists of two blocks of pine small enough to fit between the front teeth of the operator. The blocks are hol- lowed out in the middle, as shown by A, Fig. Ii8. Stretch a blade of grass across the hollow of one of the blocks and place the other block on top of it, as shown by B, Fig. Ii8. Place the blocks between your teeth, and by drawing in and expelling your breath you can produce a series of shrilt Fig. II II 1 62 ' Summer. noises which, with practice, may be made to imitate the notes of a singing bird. A thin strip of writing-paper may be sub- stituted for the blade of grass where the latter is hard to procure. The Corn-stalk Fiddle. The writing of the above title has sent me back to my boy- hood with one great leap over the intervening years. In imag- ination I am again a barefooted youngster, with straw hat, short pants, and checked apron. Again I can experience the feeling of pride and importance as from my pocket comes the well-remembered jack-knife, with a great shining blade that Fig. 119. — Cornstalk Fiddle. opens, like any jnan's knife, with a snap ! If I were this moment placed in a particular barn-yard in company with my reader, I could take him to the exact spot where a pile of corn-stalks used always to be heaped up in the corner of the fence. Let us suppose we are there. Select a good straight corn-stalk, and with the "shiny" blade of the jack-knife cut four slits from joint to joint, as shown by the top diagram, Fig. 119. Now out of that chip at your feet make a wooden bridge like the one shown by A, Fig. 119. With the point of the jack- knife lift up the three strings of the fiddle and slide the bridge under them edgewise ; then gently, but firmly, raise it to an upright position and spread the strings apart, allowing them to fit into the notches cut for the purpose in the bridge (see lower diagram. Fig. 119). Make the bow of a smaller corn- stalk than that used for the fiddle. No tune can be played Bird Singers^ Etc, *63 upon this instrument, but a funny squeaking noise can be pro- duced. The squeak of the corn-stalk fiddle brings to my mind another rustic instrument. The Pumpkin-vine Fife. Cut a good thick, straight pumpkin-stem and make holes in it like those in a fife. If you know how to blow on a fife you may not only produce a noise with the pumpkin- <^' fixArorvrvfj^ stem, but a tune may be played upon this simple \\^ I ^* instrument which, even if only partially successful, ^ will amuse your hearers to that degree that you will feel yourself amply repaid for the trouble. A Pumpkin-vine Flute. Cut off a long leaf-stem like the one shown in the illustration (Fig. 120). With the blade of your knife make a slit (A, B) through both sides of the stem. Then at the base of the leaf, in the solid part just beyond the end of the hollow in the stem, cut off the stem at C, D. By putting this end in the mouth and blowing, a noise will be produced, deep and sonorous, sounding like a distant steam- boat's whistle. Holes may be cut for the fingers similar to those just described for the fife. If one stem fails to work, cut another and try it until you succeed. The pumpkin-vine flute, like the corn-stalk fiddle, will amuse small boys, but if my reader does not belong to that class he may make of a piece of fishing-cane a first-rate fife. Cane Fife. The fishing-pole being much harder material than the succu- lent pumpkin-vine stem, is proportionally more difficult to cut. Fig. 120. — A Pumpkin - vine Flute. 164 Summer, If you can, borrow a real fife ; select a piece of cane of about the same size, and cut the holes in one side of the cane, at the same distance apart as those in the real fife. Any hollow stick of the proper size will answer as a substitute for the piece of fish- ing-pole. The Voice Disguiser is made of a piece of corn-stalk about three inches long. After removing the pith cut a notch near each end, as shown in the illustration, upon opposite sides of the corn-stalk ; upon the ^ ends stretch a piece of fish-bladder, ( Lj^^^ ^^/ / °^ ^"^ ^^^^^ membrane ; a piece of thin tracing-paper will answer. With a large pin make a hole in each piece of membrane, as shown at A in the illustration. Now cover the notch, cut into the corn-stalk, isguiser. yN\\.\\ your mouth and laugh ; the noise you produce will set you laughing in earnest. By placing your mouth over either of the notches and talking or singing, the voice is so changed as to be perfectly disguised, and if you sing a song through this instrument it sounds like some one playing on a comb covered with paper. The voice disguiser is very handy in Punch and Judy or puppet shows. The Locust Singer. This little instrument, simple as.it is, is calculated to afford considerable amusement. With one of these toys can be made not only a loud noise, which in itself pleases most boys, but it reproduces exactly the sound oi \ki^ cicada, or "locust," as the harvest-fly is commonly but improperly called. The ** locust singer," as may be seen by reference to the illustration, consists of a horse-hair with a Bird Singers.) Etc. i'6 The Locust Sineer. 1 66 Summer. loop at one end and a weight attached to the other end. h pine stick, with a groove cut around it near the top, is thrust through the loop of horse-hair, and the groove in the stick thickly covered with powdered rosin. When the weight is swung rapidly around, the horse-hair, in sliding over the rosined stick, produces a noise which closely resembles the well-known song of the harvest-fly. If a tin pill- box is used for a weight and the hair run through a hole in the lid and fastened by a knot upon the inside, the lid of the box acts as a sort of sounding-board. A piece of parchment of paper is sometimes pasted over the box tightly, like a drum head, and the hair attached to this ; but a little stone wrapped in a piece of cloth answers every purpose. A piece of kid, from a discarded glove, tied tightly over the top of a bottle-head, makes a loud-voiced locust singer. The head of the bottle may easily be removed, by striking repeated blows with a case-knife on the neck of the bottle, at the desired point of separation. The Hummer. This is somewhat similar to the toy just described, but even inore simple in construction. It consists of a piece of shingle about an inch and one-half wide and five or six inches long, with a string attached to one end. When the hummer is swung ground the head it makes a loud, buzzing noise. CHAPTER XVIII. BIRD NESTING. How to Collect and Preserve Eggs. As regular as the seasons, is the flight of our feathered sum- mer visitors ; and their wonderful little nests can be found, by those who choose to look for them, in all manner of situations — in the grass, in the shrubs, in the trees, on the barren moor, on the face of the rocky cliff, in the sand banks, high up in the church steeple, under the low, overhanging eaves of the farm- house or among the rafters of the hay-loft. Even the very chimneys of the dwellings are invaded by birds in search of a safe retreat where they can rear their little famihes undis- turbed. Professor Rennie, in speaking of' the apparent me- chanical knowledge displayed by birds in the construction of their nests, says i '* This work is the business of their lives — the duty which calls forth that wonderful ingenuity which no experience can teach and which no human skill can rival. The infinite va- riety of modes in which nests of birds are constructed, and the exquisite adaptation of the nests to the peculiar habits of the individual, offer a subject of almost exhaustless interest." I trust not one of my readers belong to that class of boys who wan- tonly destroy and pillage birds' nests, for which offence against good taste and good sense it is hard to find language strong enough to use in condemnation. Nor is it proper to start a collection of birds' eggs as the fancy seizes you, to amuse yourself for a time, afterward allowing the eggs to become broken and forgotten. If you really wish to. make a collection of eggs for the purpose of study, there is no harm in taking a 1 68 ' Summer . few nests and eggs for your cabinet. There are clauses in the game laws of most, if not all, of the States, which grant excep tional privileges to collectors for scientific purposes. Eggs should be "blown," or emptied of their contents, as soon as collected, the empty shells being much less liable to break than the unblown ^%^. To blow eggs you should have an egg- drill and blow-pipe, but if such instruments are out of your reach a pin will answer for a drill and your lips for the blow-pipe. Make a very small hole in each end of the ^%gy and taking it gently between the thumb and forefinger, place one hole to the lips ; then blow, not too hard, but steadily, until the contents come out of the hole at the other end. The use of the blow-pipe and drill not only simplifies the operation and lessens the chances of breaking the eggs, but it also makes much neater specimens. Hold the ^g^ firmly, but gently, with its ends between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand. Apply the point of the drill to the middle of one side, and, by imparting a twirling motion to the instrument, drill a hole in the egg-shell, filing away the shell gradually until the opening is large enough to admit the end of the blow-pipe, which should fit in the hole loosely, so that when the ^^^ is *' blown" the contents of the shell may escape around the end of the pipe. Hold the ^^^ in the left hand, with the hole down- ward ; insert the small end of the blow-pipe into the hole just drilled. It is often a good plan to force water into the shell through the blow-pipe, and after all the contents have been ejected to thoroughly rinse out the shell. The drying is an important part of the proceeding ; for this purpose the ^^^ is usually placed in sand, bran or meal. Some authorities claim that this is wrong, as the substances are apt to cake around the hole, where they become damp from the moisture absorbed. I have often found it difficult to remove the caked meal without injuring the shell. A recent writer Bird Nesting. 169 suggests setting the eggs, hole downward, upon a piece of blot- ting-paper or a soft cloth. The paper or cloth not only absorbs the moisture without sticking to the shell, but, being soft and yielding, the eggs may be rolled about with no fear of breaking, and they may be dried in this manner thoroughly, without rubbing off the color or destroying the *'blooni" peculiar to nicely preserved specimens. A cabinet of eggs is not only an interesting object, but if the owner has collected them himself, he must necessarily acquire an amount of scientific knowledge that v/ill not only at once make him an authority upon ornithology, even among learned men, but at the same time put him ahead of all the boys in wood-craft. Eggs may be kept in boxes filled with bran or cotton, or they may be gummed on cards and the name of the bird and date of the collection written underneath ; but probably the best way is to keep them in a chest of shallow drawers made for the purpose. As soon as an ^^^ is collected, number it with a lead pencil, and under a duplicate figure in a note-book write the number of eggs that were in the nest, the date of the collection, name or supposed name of the bird, with any and all other remarks of interest. Birds' Nests. A collection of nests makes an ornamental and interesting addition to a cabinet, and some very curious nests may be found. The two-story nest of the summer yellowbird is always an ad- dition, especially if both compartments contain eggs. The summer yellowbirds, though confiding little creatures, are not readily duped or imposed upon. Their instinct is sufifi- ciently near reason for them to detect the difference between their own little fragile, prettily marked, greenish-colored eggs and the great dark-colored ones the vagabond cow blackbird has surreptitiously srtiuggled into the cosey nest. The domestic 170 Summer, little couple ding to the spot selected for their house and will not leave it ; neither will they hatch the obnoxious eggs, which they are apparently unable to throw out ; but the difficulty is soon surmounted, and so are the gratuitous eggs, for the yel- lowbirds proceed at once to cover up the cow blackbird's eggs, constructing a new nest on top of the old one, building a sec- ond story to their house. Last summer Mr. Lang Gibson brought me one of these two-story nests which he found at Flushing, L. L ; the lower nest contained two cow blackbird's eggs, and the upper one three eggs of the summer yellowbird. Gibson watched the construction of the nest. Visiting it again after it was finished, he discovered the ^^% of a cow blackbird. Next day two of these eggs occupied the nest. Some time afterward, to his surprise, he found the nest contained three eggs of the yellow- bird and no signs of the existence of those deposited by the blackbird, but the nest had the appearance of being much taller than at first, and an examination disclosed it to be a two -story nest, the lower compartment containing two cow-birds' eggs, and the upper part three yellowbirds' eggs. Since writing the above, the same young collector presented me with another double nest. This time both nests were inhabited and con- tained eggs ; the lower story is a meadow wren's nest with an entrance on one side, and the upper one is the nest of the red- winged or swamp blackbird. The eggs in both compartments were warm when discovered, which proves that they were fresh and that ilie old birds had not long been absent. Preserving Nests. Nests made of woollen fibres must be dusted with fine to- bacco, snuff, or camphor, to keep the moths out. Nests made of sticks, straws, etc. , will not be attacked by insects, and need no preparation to preserve them. CHAPTER XIX. HOW TO REAR WILD BIRDS. Robins, Thrushes, Wrens, and other Small Birds. Learn the habits of any creature, and give it a chance to follow theniy and you will find but little difficulty in keeping it healthy in confinement. It is a mistake to suppose that it is a sin to keep wild birds in confinement ; for when their wants are understood and attended to with any degree of care, the little creatures soon learn to love their cage, and will, more than likely, return to it of their own free will, if by accident or design they are set at liberty. When you hear it said that it is impossible to domes- ticate this or that bird, remember that the staid old barn-yard fowl is descended from a bird as wild and shy as any that inhab- its the far Western forests. You need not hesitate to attempt to rear and tame any bird that runs or flies, provided that you are thoroughly acquainted with its habits when in a wild state. Care should be taken to observe the food with which the parent birds feed their young, and if the natural food is diffi- cult to obtain, a healthy substitute can often be discovered by experiment. Do not try, however, to force a young bird to eat that which appears distasteful to it, nor must it be forced to eat when not hungry. The feathered babies, as a rule, are very greedy, and will open wide their mouths as soon as they hear any one approach, so that it is only necessary to drop the food Ipetween the widespread bills as often as they are opened. 172 Summer, Squabs. Doves and pigeons, when young, do not open their mouths like other birds, but they will keep their bills firmly closed and run them between your fingers, flapping their wings and making a whistling noise. To feed a squab, its mouth must be opened by taking the sides of the bill between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, and gently pinching it at the base until the mouth opens ; then push an oblong pellet of bread softened with milk be- tween the mandibles. You will always be successful in rearing squabs in this manner. Bread softened with sweet milk, or boiled potatoes mixed with eggs, is a healthy diet for many young birds. The prepared food sold at bird-stores under the name of mocking-bird food I have discovered to be almost universally relished by insectivorous birds after they are old enough to feed themselves. As soon as a young bird can hop around, supply it with plenty of water to bathe in, at least once or twice a day ; if you keep your pet's surroundings neat,' the bird will not fail to keep its little person tidy and trim. The ground or grass finch will not bathe in water, but performs his ablutions in dust or fine sand, and a supply of sand should be provided. The Cow Blackbird. There is often a third party interested in the construction of all small birds' nests — a homeless, happy-go-lucky Bohemian bird, who has a sort of tramp's interest in the housekeeping arrangements of most of the smaller feathered denizens of copse and wood. This is the well-known cow blackbird, who disdains to shackle her freedom with the care of a family, and shifts a mother's responsibility by farming her progeny out, while she seeks the incongruous but apparently congenial com- How to Rear IVtTd Birds. 173 panionship of the cattle, with whom she appears to be on the most intimate terms. The cow-bird deposits its eggs indiscriminately among the nests of smaller birds. The blackbird's eggs generally hatch out a day or two before the adopted mother's own eggs, so when the legitimate members of the family do come, it is to find their nest already occupied by the strong, lusty interlopers, who, on account of their superior size and strength, come in for the lion's share of all the food brought to the nest. Thus the innocent parents rear the aliens, while their own young starve. It is really a pitiable sight to see a couple of little greenlets anxiously searching from daybreak till evening for food to fill the capacious crop of one or more young cow black- birds considerably larger than the greenlets themselves. As might be expected, the young cow-bird is an inveterate gormandizer, and you cannot supply it with enough food to stop its cries for more. True to its instinct, when its craw is crammed to its utmost extent, the young pauper will still cry for more and open wide its mouth, for fear its foster brothers and sisters should receive some share of the food. The blackbird wastes all it cannot eat, deliberately throwing the food away by a sudden jerk of the head. "Wrens, Sparrows, and Finches. Feed young wrens, sparrows, and finches upon chopped worms and the soft parts of grasshoppers. As soon as their bills become hard enough the finches and sparrows may be fed upon bird seed that can be procured at any bird store. The Bobolink. Feed young bobolinks upon the soft parts of grasshoppers, and as they grow older and become inclined to corpulency, do not let them have too much to eat, or they will kill themselves. 174 Summer, The Catbird. The catbird resembles the mocking-bird so closely in its habits that it may be reared upon exactly the same food. I have made several successful attempts at rearing catbirds, and find them amusing and lively pets. One bird, that bore the name of ** Greedy," would when called fly from the top of the tallest tree and alight upon my head or shoulder. The catbird will attempt to mimic almost every sound it hears. There is at present a couple of these birds which have a nest near my window. Here they build year after year, they have become quite tame, and the male bird has learned the first two notes of a bugle-call ; it is very amusing to hear him struggle to master the rest of the call. When I whistle it to him, he sits on his favorite perch, a low limb of a peach-tree, and holding his head to one side, patiently waits until the call is finished ; then filling his lungs, he gives the first two notes with remarkable clearness, hesitates a moment as if undecided what to do next, and ends in a wild burst of song. Often the bird will practise in a low key for ten minutes at a time, but as soon as he sees that he is observed he will commence the scolding cat-cry from which these birds derive their name. The catbird or black- capped thrush requires a large cage and plenty of water for bathing purposes. A food preparation, published first, I think, in Harper s Bazar, consists of two-fifths pounded cracker, two-fifths oatmeal, and one-fifth hard-boiled ^^% ; to be thoroughly mixed with equal proportions of milk and water until it is of the consistency of fresh bread. Robins are as easily domesticated as the catbird, and can be fed upon almost the same food. Fruit in season is always relished by Bob, and he will kill himself eating it if the quantity is not re- How to Rear Wild Birds, 175 strlcted. A robin that the writer once owned would eat a large slice of watermelon down to the green rind in a single day. Feed the young birds upon the soft parts of the grasshopper, white grub worms, and chopped angle-worms, or if such food cannot be obtained, use the yolk of hard-boiled eggs mixed with stale wheat bread made into a paste with a little milk or water. When the bird grows older the following preparation may be given : One-third stale wheat bread well soaked in water and pressed, one-third dry grated carrot, one-sixth of hard-boiled ^%%, and one-sixth of bruised hemp-seed. Mix well into a paste. Robins vvill acquire a taste for many dishes which in their wild state they could never have eaten. One bird described by a writer in the Science News became very fond of hot doughnuts and other equally strange diet. The Brown Thrush, or Thrasher. Every country boy is familiar with " the long-tailed thrush," as they call this bird, and all of them know what a graceful bird he is, while, strange to say, but few know that he is an excel- lent song bird, little inferior to the mocking-bird in that re- spect. The brown thrush makes a good cage bird, and can be reared and kept upon the sr.me food as that just described for the robin ; their nests are generally found in low bushes among the thickets skirting cultivated ground. The Wood Thrush is of a bright brown upon the back, with a light speckled breast and a much shorter tail than the thrasher. Why this bird is called the wood thrush, is a question ; around Flush- ing, L. I., it is seldom, if ever, seen in the woods proper, but in the ornamental trees on the lawns and the shade trees in the 176 Summer, streets of the village this bird makes his home. His song, though rich and full, is short. The wood thrush is easily kept in captivity, and makes a valuable addition to an aviary. The young may be reared upon the same food as that described for the catbird. Bluebirds are pretty little creatures, making their appearance in the early spring. They build their nests in hollow trees, knot-holes, or bird-houses erected for that purpose, and have been known to build in a dove-cot, but since the introduction of that noisy little street gamin, the English sparrow, the bluebirds have mostly deserted the immediate neighborhood of the dwellings, and may be found in the orchards and other safe re- treats. The bluebird makes an excellent pet, is of a lovable disposition, and will not associate with other birds except of its own kind. Use about the same food as that described for robins. . The Summer Yellowbird. While the expanding leaves of tree and shrub retam the tender tints of pink, and the broad lily-pads commence to mosaic the surface of the ponds with green, in perfect harmony with the bursting bud and opening flower comes the summer yellowbird, and from hedge and bush may be heard his song, as simple and pleasing as the tasteful but modest plumage that covers his little person. Almost immediately after the first ap- pearance of these industrious little birds they commence their preparations for housekeeping. The male bird flies busily about selecting such material as feathers, plants, fibres, the furze from ferns, the catkins from willows, and other similar objects, all of which he brings to his mate, who arranges and fashions their delicate nest. So quickly and deftly does this little How to Rear Wild Birds, 177 couple labor that they build the greater part of their house in a single day. The author has never attempted to rear the summer yellow- bird, nor has he ever seen one in confinement ; but there is no reason why this beautiful warbler should not make as good a cage-bird as any other feathered songster. You may feed the young upon the soft parts of grasshoppers and soft grubs. This much can be learned by watching the parent birds attending to the wants of their tiny offspring. The Bluejay is a noisy, showy bird of brilliant plumage, with a pretty crest upon its head ; the bill is black ; the back and wings different shades of blue, with black stripes ; throat, cheeks, and breast light gray ; a black ring around his neck extends like a collar down to his chest. Although the jay is no musician he is an excellent mimic, and can be taught to crow like a cock, bark like a dog, and to whistle a tune ; he is a large, handsome bird, and looks well in a cage. The only young one the writer ever had was one that had just left its nest. It was caught in an orchard, and thrived upon grubs and worms of all sorts. Either the food described for the robin or the catbird ought to answer also for the blue- jay; an occasional spoonful of raw egg is relished by a young jay. Want of space will prevent the enumeration of all the feath- ered creatures that make their home in our forests and orchards ; but this chapter will be incomplete if it contains no mention of that most lovely of all American birds, the little feathered mite called a Humming- Bird. Even if captured when full grown, this delicate little crea tnre can be tamed in a remarkably short time. 12 1 78 . Summer. Although the writer has been fortunate enough to find several little bunches of the cotton-like substance which forms the nest of the humming-bird, he has captured but one young bird ; that one was discovered disconsolately peeping as it sat upon a smooth stone in the middle of a Kentucky stream. Upon the overhanging branch of a but.on-wood tree there was a little lump which was at once recognized as a humming-bird's nest, but so closely did it approach the branch in texture and color, that it migh^ have been passed by unobserved had it not been for the otherwise unaccountable appearance of the little feath- ered midget upon the stone directly under it. The young bird, when picked up, did not offer to fly, but opened its long, slen- der bill and made a peeping noise, eagerly swallowing some little insects that were put into its mouth. It was not long be- fore the parent birds commenced buzzing around the author's head like enraged bumble-bees ; they even flew against his face, nor did they leave him until he had set their offspring free. A writer in Chambers's Journal upon this subject says : *' It was long thought that humming-birds would not live in confinement; and this idea is so far correct that, although easily tamed, they will not live long in captivity if fed only on syrup. If confined to this food they die in a month or two, apparently starved ; whereas, if kept in a small room, the win- dows of which are covered with fine net, so as to allow insects to enter, they may be preserved for a considerable time in health and beauty. Their nests are very curious ; many of them are cup-shaped and very small, sometimes no larger than the half of a walnut shell ; and they are often beautifully deco- rated on the outside with lichens, so as exactly to resemble the branch in the fork of which they are placed. They are formed of cottony substances, and are lined inside with fibres as fine and soft as silk. The nests of other species are hammock- shaped, and are suspended to creepers ; the Pichincha hum- How to Rear Wild Birds. 179 ming-bird has been known to attach its nest to a straw-rope hanging in a shed ; their eggs are white, and they never lay- more than one or two. Once, when on the Amazon, Mr. Wallace had a nest of young humming-birds brought to him, which he tried to feed on syrup, supposing that they would be fed on honey by their parents. To his surprise, however, they not only would not swallow the liquid, but nearly choked them- selves in their efforts to eject it. He then caught some very small flies, and dropped one into the wide open mouth of the poor little orphan humming-bird ; it closed instantly with a satisfied gulp, and opened again for more. The little creatures, he found, demanded fifteen or twenty flies each in succession before they were satisfied ; and the process of feeding and fly- catching together required so much time that he was reluctantly compelled to abandon them to their fate." The Illustration has been drawn by the writer from a com- pound yellowbird's nest. The upper story or nest is partly lifted so as to show the cow blackbird's eggs in the nest below. CHAPTER XX. HOW TO REAR WILD BIRDS— Continued. The Crov?, Hawk, and other Large Birds. A FUZZY topknot sur- mounting a head too heavy for the slender neck to hold upright ; large, protruding eyes protect- ed by lids that are tightly gummed together ; a blu- ish black skin, with no feathers to hide the wrin- kles ; a large paunch like an alderman. Such is the appearance of a very young crow ; and after a glance at the accompany- •' I want my Ma!" -^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ nature, the reader will no doubt agree with the writer in calling it the worst looking ** baby in the woods," and if mischief be a sign of badness, then "Jim Crow " does not belie his looks. He is especially comical when his great blood-red mouth is expanded to its utmost dimension in expectancy as he awaits a morsel of food. Of all our native birds the crow is probably the hardiest, and the least trouble to bring up by hand. Almost any kind How to Rear Wild Birds. i8i of soft food, bread and milk, corn meal mush, grub worms, raw lean meat, or raw liver is devoured with relish by the black baby ; any of the foodsdescribed in the preceding chapter may be fed to the crow. As soon as he is able to walk *' Jim " will begin to learn to eat without help. The feathers will by this time have grown, covering the body with a suit of glossy black, which gives the bird a very genteel and respectable appearance. The crow ought never to be confined in a cage, but allowed to wander around at will. The first crow that came into the author's possession had scarcely escaped from its egg-shell prison before it was taken from the cradle of rough sticks that the parent birds had built near the top of a pine tree. The bird was christened Billy, and from morn until night the neighbors could hear him as he loudly clamored for food. Before school-time in the morning an ^g'g was broken and the contents of the shell dropped into William's great red mouth ; with a gobbling noise the &^'g would be swallowed ; then as if sat- isfied for the present he would settle down for a nap. During the noonday recess, Billy, with his red mouth wide open, was always loudly calling for his noontime meal, which consisted of the s^ame material as his breakfast and supper. Three eggs a day kept the little black rascal fat and healthy, and it was not long before the naked httle body was covered with a coating of glossy black feathers, and Billy, abandoning the old basket which had served him for a nest, now awaited his master's return from school, perched upon the iron raiHng fence of the front yard. From eggs to fresh liver was an easy step, and one that the bird gladly took. Corn he never ate unless it was in the form of *' Johnny-cake " or mush; stale meat was his detestation; in fact, a cleaner or more dainty bird in regard to his food was never reared. Billy was not long in making a name and reputation for himself; a more affectionate and mischievous imp never 1 82 Summer, wore a coat of black or buried silver thimbles in a flower bed Although his pranks were often very annoying, they were always amusing, and no one ever thought the less of the bird for stealing all the fish from the miniature pond, nor did his master's anger, though great, cause him to administer severe punishment to the black culprit when he discovered the hsh all neatly stowed away under the shingles of the rabbit house. When the young rab- bits were discovered nicely pressed between the leaves of some books of travel just purchased, the gentleman to whom the books belonged declared war. He went to the lawn to search for Billy, and the bird flew to him, and, alighting upon his shoulder in the most fearless and confident manner, commenced a long explanation of his misdeeds in the crow language. What he said was unintelligible ; but the gentleman's anger was not only mollified but changed to mirth, for he came back to the house laughing heartily. Billy, still perching upon his shoulders, seemingly enjoyed the situation. Since the writer's first experiment he has brought up several other crows successfully upon a diet l/itt of fresh meat, bread and milk, and '^' boiled potatoes mixed with eggs. The Hawk. Naturally possessed of a wild, fierce nature, loving the open air and the wide, blue sky, the hawk is a born freebooter ; but wild and fierce as he is, he may nevertheless be perfectly tamed if taken from the nest when quite young. After you have obtained a young hawk, make it a rule to always feed it yourself and never allow any one else to do so. Give a peculiar whistle (in the same manner) each time you feed it, and the bird will learn to know the signal and com^ Strap for Hawk's Leg. How to Rear Wild Birds. 183 at the call. Keep the hawk in your company as much as pos- sible, and when you can, set its perch where it will see the peo- ple around the house, and become accustomed to their pres- ence ; by this means the bird may be taught not to fear man, and it will soon become as harmless as any small cage-bird. Feed young hawks upon fresh lean meat of any kind. When they grow older they develop a fondness for rats, mice, and small birds. Do not trouble yourself about their drink- ing-water, as they do not need it. The Hawk as a ** Scare-crow." A tame hawk is very useful in keeping the chickens out of the garden. Whenever the writer has placed the perch with his pet hawk upon it in the garden, not a chicken has dared to enter the enclosure ; they all seem to know their enemy by in- stinct, and give it a wide berth. The hawk himself seems to know when he is doing guard duty, and will sit as motionless as a statue, his head sunk down upon his shoulders, but the keen, bright eyes survey the whole field, and not an object moves that they do not see. The Hawk as a Decoy. If you want to trap other birds a tame hawk is a very valua- ble assistant. At any convenient spot set your bird traps, near by fasten the hawk, and retire a little distance ; it will not be many minutes before the small birds will discover their dreaded enemy, and from bush and tree the spunky little feathered warriors will come to give battle. In a few moments the ground and air around the hawk will be filled with robins, cat- birds, blackbirds, sparrows, yellowbirds, thrushes, wrens, and even the tiny humming-bird, making up in grit what he lacks in size, will join the other birds in their war against a common foe. In the confusion and bustle that ensues some of the 1 84 Summer, small birds are sure to enter a trap or become entangled in a snare, and must be removed before they injure themselves in struggling to regain their freedom. As soon as you retire a little distance the small birds will again commence their war upon the pet hawk, who is thoroughly competent to take care of himself, so you can devote your whole attention to your traps. As a pet the hawk is a pretty bird, and always charms specta- tors by his bold, mihtary bearing and his bright, clear eyes. Owls the author has found incline ^ to be more wild and untamable than hawks and not so interesting. Even the little screech-owls are vicious and treacherous, snapping their small bills in a sav- age way whenever they are approached. A friend sends word that he has been more successful, and has even succeeded in taming the great Virginia horned owl, which was allowed to fly around with perfect freedom. *' Bubo" would fly all over the village but return at meal times ; he would come at a call and knew his master, obeying him even to the extent of letting go his hold of a pet bobolink when commanded to do so. The bobolink, though a little bruised, was otherwise unhurt, and soon recovered from the effects of being caught in the dreaded talons of Bubo." Sea Birds. Any of the guillemot tribe will do well if kept in an en- closure where there is room for them to run about. The author has seen numbers of tame sea birds, although he never attempted to rear one himself, and would advise the reader not to try unless he has plenty of room. Sea birds are strange creatures, and their characteristics are so well portrayed by a writer for The London Field that part of the amusing article is here given in the writer's own words : How to Rear Wild Birds. 185 ** I have been forced to banish a couple of herring gulls, as they persist in tearing up the grass by the roots. Some few years back I had a* third of the same species, named * Sims Reeves' (all the birds are named, so that I can give directions for special treatment to any particular individual during my absence) ; but he asserted his authority over the other two, ' Moody ' and * Sankey,' in such an overbearing manner — driving them round and round the pond, the two poor wretches meekly trotting in front of him, while he every now and then gave vent to the most melancholy and piercing screams — that, as I found they would not live peaceably to- gether, Sims Reeves was allowed to go with his wing undipped, and in due course took his departure. No sooner had he gone than Moody at once became * boss,' and the last state of poor Sankey was no better than the first. At times they were quiet and contented enough ; resting side by side on the grass, they appeared to be the best of friends. Without the slightest warning, however. Moody would arise, and when he had cleared his throat by a preliminary * caterwaul,' the submis- sive Sankey, having learned by experience that it would not do to be caught, would be up and off. Then, with his head drawn back between his shoulders and his feathers slightly puffed out. Moody would follow in his wake. For an hour or so this mournful procession, round and round the pond, would con- tinue. At last Moody would stop, Sankey also pulling up at the distance of a yard or two. Moody leading, they would then commence a duet a la tomcat, when, suddenly dropping on their breasts on the ground, they would turn rapidly round several times, and at last attack the grass in the most excited manner, tearing it up by the roots and scattering the fragments in every direction. This proceeding is accompanied by the most melancholy cries and screams, and when it is stated that the voice of Grimalkin in his happiest, or rather his unhappiest 1 86 Summer, moods, is almost sweet and pleasing to the ear compared with the discordant wailing of these infatuated birds, one may judge of the nature of their performance. Whether these antics are intended for courtship or defiance I am perfectly ignorant, but I have observed pewits acting in much the same manner. At first I imagined the bird was forming its nest (I was in a punt at about ten yards' distance), but on examining the spot on the following day I found no marks, and then came to the conclu- sion that the bird was either showing hirhself off for the admi- ration of the female, who was close by, or else bidding defiance to another male, which I could plainly see indulging in the same performance at a short distance. I have not the slightest doubt that gulls, and every species of sea bird, might, with proper attention and food, be so thoroughly reconciled to con- finement that they would nest and rear their young." Strange Domestic Fowls. In a small town situated in the interior of Georgia there lives a queer sort of sporting character, who has, or did have a few years ago, the strangest collection of fowls in his chicken-yard that it has ever been my fortune to see. I was strolhng along a side street in the town when my attention was attracted by the sight of a large black bear chained to the door-post of a small frame tavern. While watching the huge beast, I was accosted by the proprietor, and invited into the barn-yard to see his '* chickens," which he was about to feed. The invitation was accepted. At the first call of chick ! chick ! there came flying and running a curious assortment of fowls, tumbling over each other in their greedy haste. There were ducks, geese, and chickens like those to be seen in any farm- yard, but mingled with these were wild geese, mud hens, par- tridges, and beautiful little wood ducks ; the latter seemed tamer than the domestic species. Towering above all the other How to Rear Wild Birds. 187 fowls, flapping his wings, and making a loud metallic noise, was a great long-legged, red- headed crane. I afterward learned that the wild geese and ducks had their wings clipped, for, although they may be perfectly tame, these birds are very liable to fly away in the autumn when they see or hear their wild " cousins " and their '' aunts " flying overhead. I give this little experience to show the boys that any bird may be domesticated if its habits and wants are understood ; of course, it is always best to take young birds for the purpose. CHAPTER XXI. HOME-MADE HUNTING APPARATUS, ETC. Spearing Fish. ** I don't know ! Shure I niver tried,'' is the answer reported to have been made by an Irishman, when asked if he could play the fiddle. No doubt there are many boys who would give a like reply if asked if they could spear a fish. An amateur's first attempt at casting a spear will prob- ably meet with about the same success as '' Paddy" might be expected to achieve in his first trial of a fiddle ; but almost any- thing can be accomplished by practice. The keen enjoyment of the fisher who by his skill and dexterity has succeeded in striking a fine fish, can only be compared to the pleasant triumph of his brother sportsman in the field who has just se- cured two birds by a difficult double-shot. How to Make a Fish Spear. Make the shaft or handle of any straight stick or pole seven or eight feet long ; trim it down, and test the weight occasion- ally by balancing it in the hand. When the shaft seems to be about the proper weight, it should be let alone, and attention directed to the barbs for the head of the spear. In place of the ordinary single point generally used as a spear head, the fishing spear may be supplied with two points, as shown in the illustration (Fig. 121, p. 189). Any hard, elastic material will do for the head, split bamboo or cane, two pieces of heavy iron wire, filed to a point and notched into barbs upon' the Home- Made Hunting Apparatus^ Etc. 189 inside, as shown in the diagram, or the points may be made of bone hke the fish arrows used by the inhabitants of Vancouver's Island. Very hard wood will also answer for the spear head. After the head pieces are notched and pointed, they should be firmly bound to the spear at a point a few inches below the end of the shaft. A couple of small wedges driven in between the shaft and the points will diverge the latter, as in the illustration. After this is accomplished, lash the barbs firmly on up to the head of the shaft. If a fish be struck by one of these weapons, it will be next to impos- sible for it to escape. The elastic points at first suddenly spread apart as the spear strikes the fish's body ; the next instant they violently con- tract, holding the fish a secure prisoner. The barbs upon the inside prevent the prey from sHp- ping out, no matter how smooth and slimy his body may be. A small instrument made upon a similar plan can be used for catching snakes or other reptiles that are not safe or pleasant to handle. Frogs may also be readily captured with a fish spear, and any boy who takes the time to make one of these weapons will find himself amply repaid for his trouble. The elder stick described and illus- trated upon page 34 is made upon the same prin- ciple as the fish spear. Armed with fish spears and torches great fun can be had spearing fish from a row-boat at night. The torch illuminates the water and appears to dazzle the fish, at the same time dis- closing their whereabouts to the occupants of the boat, who with poised spears await a favorable opportunity to strike the scaly game. Fig. 121.— Fish Spear and En-v larged View of Spear Head. 190 Summer, How to Make the Torches and Jack-Lights. One way to make a torch is to wind lamp-wick upon a forked stick (Fig. 122). The ball of wick must be thoroughly saturated with burning fluid of some kind. The torches should all be prepared before starting upon the excursion. Never take a siLpply of kerosene or any explosive oil with you in the boat^ for, in the excitement of the sport, accidents of the most serious nature may happen. A safe light can be made with a number of candles set in a box. A glass front allows the light to shine through, and a piece of bright tin for a reflector behind adds bril- liancy to the illumination. A box of this description is generally called a **jack-box;" it is much less trouble than the flaring pine-knot or wick-ball torches. The candles in the "jack-box" should be replen- ished each time after it is used ; in this manner the jack may be kept always ready for use. After the candles are lighted fasten the box in the bow of the boat ; here it will throw a bright light ahead, illumi- nating the water, but casting a hervy, dark shadow in the boat, concealing the occupants from view. The boys in the boat can, of course, see all the better for being themselves in shadow. The Boomerang. We might expect strange weapons to come from a land that produces quadrupeds with heads like ducks, and other great beasts that go bounding over the plains like some immense species of jumping spiders, using their thick tails as a sort of spring to help them in leaping, and carrying their young in their fur-lined vest pockets ! Nor will we be disappointed when, after viewing the duckbill and the kangaroo, we see the odd-looking clubs called boomerangs, or the simple but in- Home-Made Hunting Apparatus^ Etc, 191 getiiotis throw-sticks by means of which the native Austra- lians 3re enabled to cast their weapon, with the greatest accu- racy, an astonishingly long distance. The boomerang, or bommerang as it is sometimes called, is one of the most mysterious weapons known. Evolved by slow degrees from a simple war club by the ignorant and sav- age Australians, this instrument excites the interest and aston- ishes the civilized man by its strange and apparently unaccount- able properties. To all appearances it is a simple, roughly hewn club, yet its movements when thrown by an expert hand are so eccentric as to make it a curious anomaly even to per- sons educated in natural philosophy. Whatever is wonderful or marvellous is always a subject of peculiar interest to mankind generally, but to boys an inexplicable natural phenomenon is a treasure-trove of immeasurable value. How to Make a Boomerang. With boiling water scald a piece of well-seasoned elm, ash, or hickory plank that is free from knots. Allow the wood to remain in the water until it becomes pliable enough to bend into the form indicated by Fig. 123. When it has assumed the proper curve, nail on the side pieces A, A (Fig. 123) to hold the wood in Fig. 123. position until it is thoroughly dry ; after which the side pieces may be removed, with no fear that the plank will not retain the curve imparted. Saw the wood into as many pieces as it will allow (Fig. 124 B), and each piece will be a boomerang in the rough that only 192 Summer, needs to be trimmed up with a pocket-knife, and scraped smooth with a piece of broken glass to make it a finished weapon. A large wood-rasp or file is of great assistance in shaping the implement. Fig. 124 C shows a finished boomerang. Fig. 124 D shows a cross section of the same. The curve in no two boomerangs is exactly the same ; some come round with a graceful sweep, while others bend so sud- denly in the middle that they have more the appearance of angles than curves. Just what the qual- ity is that makes a good boomer- ang is hard to discover, although, as a rule, the one that appears to have the best balance and feels as if it might be thrown easily is the best. To Throw a Boomerang^ grasp the weapon near one end and hold it as you would a club ; be careful to have the concave side, or hollow curvature, turned from you and the convex side toward you. Take aim at a stone, tuft of grass or other object on the ground about a hundred yards in front of you, and throw the weapon at the ob- ject. The weapon will in all probability not go anywhere near the mark, but, soaring aloft, perform some of the most extra- ordinary manoeuvres, then starting off again with apparently renewed velocity, either return to the spot from where it was thrown or go sailing off over the fields like a thing possessed df life. A boomerang cast by a beginner is very dangerous in a crowd, for there is no telling where it is going to alight, and Fig. 124. Home- Made Hunting Apparatus^ Etc. 193 when it does come down it sometimes comes with force enough to cut a small dog almost in two.* Select a large open field where the ground is soft and there is no one around to be hurt. In such a field you may amuse yourself by the day throwing these curious weapons, and you can in this manner learn how to make the boomerang go through all manner of the most in describable movements seemingly at your bidding. The Miniature Boomerang here represented is supposed to be cut out of a card. The shape given in the illustration is a very good one, but it may be varied to an almost unlimited degree. Card boomerangs over an inch or so in length do not work well, but they may be made very much smaller. One of these tiny instruments cannot be grasped by the hand, but when it is to be launched upon its eccentric journey the toy should be laid flat upon a card, al- lowing one end to project from the side as in Fig. 125. Take hold of the lower left hand corner of the card with the left hand, and with the forefinger of the right hand fillip the boomerang, striking it a quick, smart blow with the finger-nail, and the lit- tle missile will sail away, going through al- most the same manoeuvres that the large fig. 12s.— Miniature wooden boomerang does when thrown from oomerang. the hand. Small boomerangs can be whittled out of a shingle with a pocket knife, and considerable" amusement had with them ; these small affairs can be thrown on the crowded play- ground, where it would be exceedingly dangerous to experi- ment with the larger and heavier club before described. * " I have seen a dog killed on the spot, its body being nearly cut in two by the boomerang as it fell." — Rev. J, G. Wood. 194 Summer. Position Assumed when Casting the Arrow. The Whip-Bow. This graceful and powerful weapon is like an ordinary long- bow, with the exception that the bow-string is made fast to but one end, after the manner of a whip-lash ; where the whip-lash terminates in a ^ *' snapper," the |Y bow-string ends in a hard, round knot (Fig. 126) ; the ar- row is made like any other arrow, either with a blunt end or a pointed spear-point. In one, side of the ar- row a notch is cut (Fig. 126, A) ; the bow-string being slipped into this notch, the knot at the end of the string prevents the arrow from flipping off until thrown by the archer, who, tak- ing the butt of the whip-bow in his right hand, holds the arrow at the notch with his left hand, as In the illustration; then swaying his body from side to side, he suddenly lets go with his left hand, at the same time extending his right arm to its full length from his side ; this not only Fig"i26.— whip gives the arrow all the velocity it would acquire °^* from the bow, but adds the additional force of a shng, thus sending the projectile a greater distance. The only place that I have seen the whip-bow used is on the lake shore in North- Home- Made Hunting Apparatus^ Etc, 195 ern Ohio. In some parts of this section it used to be a great favorite among the boys, who would throw the arrows up j)er- pendicularly an amazing distance. Arrows can be bought in any city, but most boys prefer to make their own, leaving the ''store arrows" for the girls to use with their pretty ** store bows." The essential quality in an arrow is straightness. A spear-head can be made of an old piece of hoop-iron, a broken blade of a knife, or any similar piece of iron or steel, by grind- ing it down to the proper form and then binding it on to the shaft with fish line, silk, or a ''waxed end," such as shoe- makers use, or the arrow may have a blunt end with a sharp- pointed nail in the head. These arrows should only be used in target practice or when after game ; they are dangerous on the play-ground. A simple whip-bow may be made by any boy in a few minutes out of an elastic sapling or branch, and an arrow cut out ot a pme shmgle with a pocket-knife. This can be improved upon as much as may be de- sired by substituting a piece of straight grained, well-seasoned wood for the green branch, and regularly made Indian arrows for the crude pine ones. Throw-Sticks. The same race that invented the wonderful boomerang also originated the equally ingen- ious throw-stick illustrated by Fig. 127, page 196. Although any of my readers can, in a few ^^ing the Throw-Stick. moments, fashion a throw-stick from a piece of wood by the aid of a pocket-knife, I doubt if they could use the instrument to any advantage without considerable practice. 196 Summer. Make the lance of cane or bamboo ; use a straight piece and put an arrow-head upon one end ; then holding the lance on a throw-stick, as shown by the accompanying illus- tration, cast it with all your might. The first trials will, doubtless, be failures, but nothing is gained without practice ; and when you once '* catch the hang of the thing " Tov VH-ur Fig, 127, —Throw-Sticks. you will be astonished to see what a distance a comparatively small boy can throw a spear. Any straight, thin stick may be used as a lance. Allow one end to rest against the point upon the throw-stick, which will hold it in place until the cast is made. The throw-stick acts as a sling, lending additional force to the arm, and send- ing the spear much further than the strongest man can cast it with his unaided hand. The Bird-Bolas. Probably all of my readers have read of that won- derful sling called a ** bolas," used by some tribes of savages for the capture of game, but I doubt if any of them ever tried to manufacture one for themselves. Yet this curious missile can be made by a boy, and if he be inchned to field sports, he will find that a bird- bolas will do considerable execution. Hunt for a half dozen round stones about the size of large marbles, or, bet- ter still, take six leaden musket-balls, wrap each ball in a piece of an old kid glove, buckskin, or Fig. 128.— Bird-Bolas. Home- Made Hunting Apparatus^ Etc. 197 cloth, as shown by the diagram (a, b, Fig. 128). Take three pieces of string each five feet long, double them in the centre, and bind the doubled parts together ; a few small feathers may be bound in to add a finished and Indian look to the bolas. To the ends of the strings attach the bullets (Fig. 128). To cast the bolas, grasp it by the feathered part with the thumb and first finger, whirl it around your head as you would an ordinary sling. When you let go, the loaded ends of the strings will fly apart, so that the missile wdll cover a space in the air of five feet in diameter. If a string strike a bird it will instantly wrap itself round and round the body ; if the loaded end strike the game it will, of course, stun or disable it. One of these instruments cast into a flock of birds is certain to bring down several. For target practice, use in the place of the ordinary butt a number of reeds or sticks stuck upright in the ground about a foot apart ; after measuring the distance for the marksman to stand and marking the spot, let him see how many reeds he can level at a single cast of the bolas. The one who makes the biggest score can assume the title of " Big Injun," and weai a feather in his hat, or an appropriate badge, until some more skilled hand beats the record and wins the title and the badge. No shots should count unless made in a regularly appointed match. The Elastic Cross-Bow. (a new kind of cross-bow.) Select a piece of thick pine or cedar plank and saw out a piece of the form shown by A, Fig. 129. Trim it down with a jack- knife until it becomes more finished and gun-like in appear- ance. With a gouge, such as may be borrowed at any car- penter or cabinet-maker's shop, cut a half round groove from T98 Summer, tiie butt to the muzzle of the barrel. The groove must be per- fectly straight and true (B, Fig. 129). Bore a hole in the piece (E), for the bow to fit in. The bow in this case should be made perfectly stiff, so as not to bend in the least when the line is drawn and the gun set. The bow may be bent into the proper form by steeping it in boiling water until the wood becomes pliable, and binding it firmly into the required position. After it has become per- fectly dry the wood will retain the form and the bindings may be cut off. Trim the bow nicely into shape, and make it of such size that it will not bend when the string is drawn. Fit the bow into place, not like an ordinary cross- bow but in a re- versed position, as shown by the diagram C, Fig. 129. It might be an improvement to set the bow back toward the stock an inch or two further than the one in the illustration. For a bow-line use two pieces of strong elastic, with a string for a cen- tre piece. The cent'-e cord prevents the bow-line from wearing out as soon as it would if it were all elastic (Fig. 129, C). Make the trigger in the manner described for the plunger pistol (Fig. 134, page 204), but instead of fastening it upon one side with a screw, set it in a slot cut for the purpose in the middle of the barrel near the stock, and let it move freely upon a pivot. Fig. 129. — The Elastic Cross-Bow. Home- Made Hunting Apparatus^ Etc. 199 Cut a thin, smooth piece of pine just long and wide enough to cover the gun-barrel from stock to muzzle, and fasten it on with a couple of small brads at the muzzle and a screw at the stock (Fig. 129, C). There is always a certain amount of dan- ger attending the use of firearms which is avoided by the cross-bow, added to which advantage is the fact that the twang a bow- string makes is so slight a noise as not to alarm the game, and if the young sports- man be inexperienced he may shoot several times at the same bird or rabbit without frightening it away. With a little practice it is astonishing what precision of aim can be obtained with the cross-bow. I know miss a bird even with the simple elastic sling, consisting of two pieces of rubber bands attached to a forked or a straight stick (Fig. 130). Fig. 130.— Elastic Sling. boys who seldom .— ^ Hunter's Cabin* CHAPTER XXII. HOW TO MAKE BLOW-GUNS, ELDER GUNS, ETC. The fierce and savage head hunters of Borneo go to war armed with the same implements with which the school-boys shoot peas or pellets of clay at unsuspecting citizens as they pass the ambuscade of tree or fence. The blow-guns used by the Dyaks of Borneo are called sumpitans, and instead of clay balls they carry poisoned arrows. A spear is also attached to the side of one end of the sumpitan, after the manner of a bay- onet on a modern rifle. In speaking of the sumpitan a recent writer says : " This curious weapon is about eight feet in length and not quite an inch in diameter, and is bored with the great- est accuracy, a task that occupies a long time, the wood being very hard and the interior of the sumpitan smooth and even polished. It is not always made of the same wood. The sur- face is of equal thickness from end to end." Among the South American Indians the sumpitan is represented by the long delicate *'pucuna," or the heavy and unwieldy '^ zarabatana." All savages use poisoned arrows in their blow-guns instead of harmless pellets of clay or putty. Taking a few hints from the primitive warriors and hunters of Borneo and South America, any boy, with a little care and small expense, can construct for himself a blow-gun which will be handy to carry around and will shoot with great accuracy. Mr. W. Hamilton Gibson, the well-known artist, has acquired such skill with the blow- gun that he seldom misses the mark, and often brings home How to Make Blow-Guns, 201 birds and other creatures brought down by a clay pellet blown from a glass sumpitan. For twenty-five cents a glass tube, three or four feet long, can be purchased. With these tubes can be made the best of blow- guns, but they are objectionable on account of being liable to break at any moment from some accidental blow or jar. With some fl-annel or woollen cloth and an old piece of cane fishing-pole i cover and a case can be made to enclose the glass and prevent Its being broken by anything short of a severe knock or fall. To Make a Blow-Gun. Select a good straight piece of glass tube about three or four feet long. To discover whether the glass tube is straight or not, hold it horizontally level with the eye and look through it, and any deviation will be quickly seen. Wrap the tube with strips of flannel or woollen cloth, as illustrated by Fig. 131, A. The »M) r~z. i!ju— — ^:> j) C ^^ ^ — ^ ^^ Fig. 131.— The Hunter's Blow-Gun. cloth will make a soft covering or cushion for the outside of the glass and render it less liable to break. With a red-hot iron rod, or some similar instrument, enlarge the hollow in the cen- tre of a piece of cane until the blow-gun can be slid inside the cane. With putty, shoemakers' wax or beeswax secure the tips of the tube in place. Trim off the ends of the cane until they are flush with the ends of the glass. You will then have a blow-gun that can be used to hunt with (B, Fig. 131). For missiles may be used arrows^ tacks, peas, or clay. The arrows 202 SMmmer. must be very small, and a pin with its head filed off makes a simple point ; some raw cotton bound on the butt end to make it fit the inside of the gun finishes the missile (Fig. 131, D). The tack is prepared by fastening short pieces of worsted or carpet ravelhngs to it just below the head with shoemakers' or beeswax (C, Fig. 131). This not only fills up the space inside the blow-gun, 'making it fit, but the yarn also acts as a feather does upon an arrow and causes the tack to fly straight and point foremost. The worsted-headed tack is a *' tip-top " missile for target prac- tice. The clay pellet will b^ing down small birds, stunning them, but doing them no serious injury, so that if the birds are quickly picked up they can be captured alive. Along the Mississippi River, from New Orleans to Nash- ville, there are still some remnants of the Indians that in olden times paddled their canoes up and down the Father of Waters. The boys among these tribes make splendid blow-guns out of cane. When the inside is bored out they straighten the cane by heating it over hot coals, and then, after attaching a heavy weight to one end, suspending it by a string attached to the other end. The heat from the hot coals makes the cane pliable, and before it becomes cold and hard, the weights make it almost as straight and true as a rifle-barrel. Squirt- Guns. Some time during the summer of each year a boy used to appear with a squirt-gun made of a piece of cane. Squirt-gun- time then commenced, next day four or five guns might be seen on the play-grounds, and before a week had passed the curb- stone in front of the little frame school-house presented a line of boys all busily engaged in seeing who could shoot th*^ greatest distance ; the dusty macadamized street registered every drop of water by a muddy spot. I found that by adding -3 ^ ^ //i97£; /(9 Make Elder-Guns. 203 a quill as a nozzle to my '* squirt " it would throw water much further than the others. It is a very simple thing to make a good squirt-gun, and one may be manufactured In a few minutes. First cut a joint from a piece of an old cane fishing-pole, being careful not to disturb the pithy substance that almost closes the hollow at the joints. Insert a quill for a nozzle at oneof the joints and see that yj it fits tightly; leave the other ^=^~ v \ ^ end open. With your pock- et-knife fashion from a piece of pine or cedar the plunger (B, Fig. 132) ; leave the wood ^^^- ^3--Cane Squirt-Gun. a little thicker at both ends and wrap a rag around one end, making It just thick enough to fit snugly in the cane after wet- ting it. This completes the ''squirt" (A, Fig. 132). To use- it, immerse the quill in water, first push the plunger in, then draw it out slowly until the gun is filled with water. Take aim, and when you push the plunger back again the water will issue from the quill In a sudden stream, travelHng quite a dis- tance. One of these water-guns is quite useful in the garden ; by its means the insects Infesting the rose bushes and other shrubs may be knocked off in no time. When the owner of an aquarium finds dead animals or plants that should be removed, located in some crack or cranny that Is difficult to reach, the squirt-gun Is just the thing to dislodge the objects without dis- turbing the surrounding rocks or plants. (i)) ',--^''^^^^--'"-- -- -""" ^J Elder-Guns and Pistols. . — — - o When the author was a very O-v-ro-uir- FiG. 133.— A Simple Elder-Gun. small boy he was taught by some playmates to make an elder gun, a simple contrivance, made of a piece of elder or any other hollow stick. A long 204 Summer, notch cut in one side admits a spring made of whalebone (Fig. 133). By pushing the spring back the short arrow shown in the illustration can be propelled quite a distance. If instead of the awkward whalebone spring a piece of elastic be used, ^ much neater gun '^''f^^fe'y can be made Fig- 134 shows a pistol made with an elderbar- rel and a stock of pine. A plun- ger, similar in many respects to Fig. 134— Plunger Pistol. ^^^ ^^^ ^3^^ jj^ the squirt-gun, is made with an edge to catch in the trigger. An elastic band is bound to the barrol with string, and the loop fastened to the butt end of the plunger. When the latter is drawn back to the trigger it stretches the elastic. By pulling the trigger toward you it loosens the plunger, which flies back with a snap, sending the arrow out with considerable force. The barrel of the pistol may be fastened to the stock by two strips of tin or leather. The diagram shows the form of the trig- ger, which should _____„ be rnade so as to .^"^^^V^"^'^!-^ •^;^ — ' 8 ' W ) move readily backward or for- ward upon the ^ - ' ^ *^^-^«'^^- screw that fastens it to the stock. Fig. 135.— Pistol without a Plunger. Fig. 135 shows how a pistol can be made to work without a plunger. In this case the barrel is partly cut off from A to B. The arrow should be made to fit in the groove, so that when the clastic is loosened it will strike the arrow in the same manne.* How to Make Spring Shot-Guns. 205 that the string of a cross-bow does. Both these pistols, if made with good, strong elastic, will shoot quite a distance, and if the arrows are armed with a tack or pin in the head they can be ased in target practice. We now come to a gun in which the spring is the principal part. The Spring Shot-Gun. A certain old gentleman was at one time very much annoyed by fine bird-shot which at all times of the day came rattling against the window-panes of his study. Being somewhat of a philosopher, the old man at last became deeply interested in investigating the cause of his annoyance. From the window he could see a house separated from his study by a deep back yayd, a vacant lot, and anuther yard. While peering out between \hv. blinds of his window he saw a boy appear at one of the windows of the distant house ; the boy held something in his left hand which he pulled with his right; almost instantly there was a rattling of bird-shot against the old gentleman's window glass, and the boy disappeared But so great was the distance that separated the two houses that it was impossible for the old man to distinguish what sort of an instrument the mischievous lad used to propel the fine shot so far and with such force. The youngster was at last waylaid, and the mystery solved. The machine used proveci to be a spring shot-gun. No powder or explosive is used with one of these guns, neither does it possess stock, trigger, or sights, but simply consists of a stick of whalebone or any other Spring Shot-gun. 2o6 Summer, elastic material, one end of which is armed with a large quiUf corked at its lower end. When the quill is filled with fine bird-shot and the end of the stick grasped by the left hand, the contents of the quill can be thrown an amazing distance by bending the quill end back and allowing it to suddenly fly forward, upon the principle of the whip bow. If instead of a small piece of whalebone a large and very elastic rod be used, with a tin tube in the place of the quill, an eflective weapon will be produced useful for hunting and collecting purposes ; although the shot cast from the tube will have sufficient force to stun a small bird, it will not injure the specimen by making ugly holes in the skin and staining the feathers with blood. All of the weapons described in this and other chapters should be used with care, for many of them are capable of inflicting severe wounds. Never aim a bended bow with arrow set at a companion or friend, for a little slip may cause irreparable harm. Even a blunt arrow propelled from a barrel-hoop bow has sufficient force to destroy an eye or make a severe bruise. A true sportsman has the greatest respect fojf his weapons and handles them with scrupulous care. 2lutumit liu-. '■ • r CHAPTER XXIII. TRAPS AND TRAPPINGS. Summer is over. Again the air becomes cooler. The straw hats are discarded, so also are the linen suits ; we begin to look up heavier clothing, for although the sun still shines brightl}^, the nights are growing chill. Even at midday we no longer seek the shady side of the streets or roadways. In the woods all the little inhabitants are preparing for the approaching winter. Backward and forward, from the beech tree to his nest under the wood-pile, runs the nimble little brown-coated, striped-back chipmunk, each trip adding to the pile of beech nuts secreted in the storehouse of this provi- dent little fellow. Scampering along the top rail of the fence the gray squirrel may be seen, also busily engaged in laying up a supply of winter stores. The birds are gathering in large flocks, with noisy twitterings and excited flutterings, preparatory to their yearly pilgrimage to the Sunny South. The bouncing hare is thinking of discarding its summer coat of brown and donning its white winter furs. The leaves of the ivy vines shine like red fire wreathed around the tree trunks. All nature seems busy going through a transformation scene — an air of preparation is visible everywhere. The reports of the sportsmen's guns may be heard, and their dogs may be seen in the stubble-fields manoeuvreing like well- 2IO Autumn. drilled soldiers promptly obeying every command of their masters. And far and wide — in the cold Northern regions, in the pine woods of Maine, in the Rocky Mountains of the West — the hardy trappers are busy collecting their traps and making prep- arations, or are already engaged in their annual campaign against all fui--bearing animals. In order that my reader may not be behind the season, this chapter is devoted to the description of a few simple but effective traps and snares, such as may be made of the material always at hand, with the aid of a pocket-knife, hatchet, or other tools within the reach of boys. Rats. We have in North America more than fifty kinds of rats and mice, the largest of which is the muskrat. Next in size comes the great, ugly brown rat. More than three hundred years ago the black rat found its way from Europe to this country, settled here with our ances- tors, and, Hke them, increased and prospered. The black rat is rather a neater and prettier animal than the now omnipresent Norway brown rat. The latter is of Asiatic origin, and appears to have made its way to this country since the advent of the black rat, which it has supplanted and almost exterminated. The roof rat in the Southern States came originally from Egypt, and the little brown mouse that creates so much mis- chief in our closets is of Asiatic parentage. All rats may be caught in traps, and for an amateur trapper the house rat is a good subject to practice on. By no means a fool among ani- mals, possessing a due regard for his own safety, and looking with suspicion upon most traps, the Norway brown rat is not so easily caught as one who has never baited a ''figure four" might suppose. A very successful way to capture house rats Traps and Trappings, 211 is to carefully close all the doors of the kitchen, barn, or room infested with them, and after removing all small objects from the floor, bait each hole with crumbs of meal and cheese ; over the holes place little doors made of tin or wire, hung on with strings or screw-eyes, these doors open but one way and are so arranged that the rat can easily push the door open from the inside, but as soon as the animal makes its appearance in the room the door falls back into place, thus cutting off all retreat. In a short time the room will be overrun with rats, and if allowed to remain undisturbed for a few hours they will all escape through new holes made by their sharp teeth ; if a terrier dog or a few cats be let into the room, not many rats will live to tell the tale of the massacre. The Paper Pitfall. Over the top of an earthenware jar fasten a piece of writing Fig. 136.— a Mouse Trap, 212 Autumn, paper, tightly binding it with a string or elastic band. In the centre of the paper cut a cross as shown in the illustration (Fig. 136). Set the jar in the closet and suspend by a string a piece of toasted cheese over the centre of the jar. If there are any mice in the closet the bait will attract them, but just as soon as the first mouse reaches the centre of the paper he will drop into the jar, and the paper will flyback in place again ready for the next comer. A trap arranged in the same manner can be used for the capture of field mice, shrews, and harvest mice, some of which make odd and amusing pets. All of these pretty little animals may be found in the fields or under brush heaps in the clearings. A barrel covered with stiff brown paper can be used for common rats, but they will gnaw out unless the barrel be partly filled with water. Jug Trap. An old earthenware jug with a small hole knocked in thv. ^;^ upper part may be '■ ' utilized as a trap 'l^^-^ for small burrow- ing animals. Bury 'I/I the jug in the earth (Fig. 137) near the ■^^vw haunts of the ani- mal you are after ; then arrange an ar- tificial burrow ex- tending from the su rfac e of the ground to the hole F,G. i37.-01d Jug Trap. ;„ ^^^ j^^^^^^ j^g . strew appropriate bait along the passageway, and although the little creatures might hesitate to enter a broken jug above Traps and Trappings, 213 ground, they are said to have no fear of one beneath the sod, and either jump or fall inside, where they may be allowed to remain some time with no fear of their escaping. The jug trap is only suitable for small animals. The Mole and How to Trap Him. Moles are, generally speaking, harmless creatures who ren^ der the farmer a great service by devouring immense quanti- ties of grubs and larvae ; but when one of these little animals finds its way under the sod of the lawn it plays sad havoc with the looks of the grass, furrowing the surface with ridges, and marring the appearance by dirt hills. From the fact that the mole travels under ground, I have spent considerable time in trying to find a trap to catch this subterranean animal. Among we boys that lived in the valley of the Ohio River, a mole skin was highly prized as a sort of fetich that, when used as a "knuckle dabster " to rest our hands on in a game of marbles, not only prevented our hands from becoming soiled — which was no great matter— but also in- sured good luck to the happy boy who Fig. 138. — Construction of the Figure Four. possessed a knuckle dabster made of a mole skin. There are but very few animals that can boast of fur as soft and fine as that which covers the back of the common mole. A mole trap can be made in the old reliable figure four style, with which most of my readers are no doubt famiMar. 14 Autumn, The Figure Four IS made of three sticks ; a catch-stick, A, an upright, B, and a trigger, C (Fig. 138). When these sticks are set in the position shown by the diagram, and a weight allowed to rest on the top of the catch, A, the sticks will keep their positions and support the weight undl the trigger, C, is touched. At the slightest derangement of the trigger all the sticks fall, and the weight above, being left without a support, instantly drops to the ground. This trap has been ingeniously adapted to the purpose of a Mole Trap. A heavy weight is fastened on a piece of plank or board for a deadfall ; in the centre of the board some sharp-pointed spikes or nails are driven, so that the pointed ends extend sev- FiG. 139.— Mole Trap. eral inches below the deadfall (see Fig. 1 39). This trap should be set over a fresh mole-way, no bait need be used. First press down the loose earth in a line across the ridge, then set the trap with a figure four, allowing the trigger-stick to rest in the place where you have pressed down the earth across Traps and Trappings. 215 the mole hill. The trap should be so arranged that the sharp spikes will be directly over the hill. The next time the mole makes his way through the underground passage he will sooner or later come to che place where the earth has been pressed down to make room for the trigger. When the little animal reaches this point and proceeds to loosen the earth again, the movement will displace the trigger and bring the -dead weight down, pinioning the mole to the ground with the sharp spikes, to which the loose earth of the mole hill offers but little resistance, if the weight be heavy enough. If the skin of the animal be desired, it is best to use as few spikes as practicable, for the fewer holes there are in a pelt the more valuable it is. I object to deadfalls on principle, and it is not 'without some reluctance that I include them among the traps. As a boy, the only traps I ever used were made for capturing animals alive ; but there are occasions when it is perfectly proper to use a deadfall. If the animal sought is a nuisance upon whose extermination you have settled for good reasons, then use a deadfall, or if you desire the animal for food and have no other means of capturing him, the deadfall is very convenient. Sup- posing your supply of fresh meat has run short at camp, or that you are on a canoe trip and are placed under similar circum- stances, if there be a rabbit or squirrel in the neighborhood no one will find fault with you for trying to capture the game hy any means in your power. The Toll-gate Trap IS so called either from Its resemblance to a toll-gate, or from the fact of its being set across the top of a rail fence, which has been called the '* squirrel's highway." This trap can be made in a few minutes with the aid of a pocket-knife and a hatchet. The toll-gate is a deadfall, and the little traveller pays the toll 2l6 ^Mfumn, with his life. With your hatchet cut a forked stick and drive it in the ground a few feet from the fence ; rest one end of a plank on this forked stick and allow the other end to protrude some distance beyond the opposite side of the fence. Select a heavy stick for the deadfall, and a very much smaller stick for the trigger ; near the end of the trigger cut a notch for the catch- stick to rest in. Sharpen the ends of two small forked sticks and drive them into splits made near the ends of the board with the corner of the hatchet. Lay a cross piece from one forked stick to the other, and with a bit of string or vegetable fibre suspend the catch- stick from the centre of the cross stick. Tie the inside end of the trigger loosely to the deadfall, and adjust the trap so that when the end of the deadfall rests upon the catch-stick the latter will hold the trigger an inch or so Toll-gate Trap. above the plank. To prevent the trap from swaying and to guide the deadfall in the proper direction, two upright guide- sticks should be erected (Fig. 140). The weight of a squirrel's foot upon the bottom bar slips it from the catch-stick and down comes the deadfall upon the shoulders of the victim. This same style of trap may be made upon a much larger Traps and Trappings. 217 scale and set on logs or trees that have fallen across a water course and are used as a bridge by minks, 'coons, or other ani^ mals. The forked sticks supporting the end of the plank must in this case be driven into the bed of the creek, and a plank twenty feet long substituted for the short one used in the trap designed for squirrels. To be a successful trapper a boy must be a keen observer of the habits of the game ; by this means he will soon learn to take advantage of the very means designed by Nature as a pro- tection for her creatures. For instance, the partridges are not good flyers, but their unobtrusive coats rriingle and blend so closely with the stubble as to take a sharp eye to detect their presence ; hence we find that these birds are loth to take to the wing, but will run along any slight obstruction they meet, poking their heads about to find an outlet, apparently never once thinking of surmounting both the difficulty and the obstruc- tion by using their wings. The "down East "' Yankee boys are thoroughly acquainted with the habits of the partridge, and catch a great many of them by building little hedges like the one in the illustration entitled The Partridge Snare. The snare in this case consists of a slip-noose made of string. Make a bow-line knot (Fig. 58, diagram XIII., described on page jG) in one end of a piece of common string or fish line ; slip the other end of the string through the loop and make the free end fast to the top of an arch made of a bent stick (see Fig. 141). In a semi-circular form, around some feeding ground, build a low fence of sticks, brush or stones, leaving openings at intervals only large enough to fit in arched gateways. Make an arch for each opening and arrange a slip-noose in each archway ; spread the loops apart and keep them in this position by catching the strings slightly into notches made upon the outside of 2l8 Autumn, the arch (see Fig. 141). The birds, when they seek their ac- customed feeding place, will walk into the semi-circle, and in searching for an outlet they will go poking their heads about until they come to an archway ; here they thrust their heads through the slip-noose, and as, instead of backing out, a part- FiG. 141.— The Partridge Snare. ridge will try to force its way through, the noose tightens and holds the bird a prisoner. Sometimes the youthful trapper will find the lifeless body of a rabbit with the fatal noose around its neck, and often he will miss one or two of his arches that have been uprooted and carried away by large game becoming en- [tangled, and walking off, carrying arch, noose, and all with them. This partridge snare will also catch quail or prairie chickens. Set-Line Snares. Snares when used for catching birds alive should be closely watched ; which will not only prevent the captured wild birds from beating themselves to death, but will save them from suf- fering any more pain than is absolutely necessary^ Traps and Trappings. 219 Select a smooth piece of ground and drive two stakes ; to these attach a long cord, allowing it to stretch loosely upon the ground from one stake to the other. At intervals along the line fasten strong horse-hair nooses (Fig. 142). .Sprinkle food Fig. 142.— Set-Line Snares. around and retire out of sight to watch. When the birds dis- cover the food they will collect around it, and some one of them is almost certain to become entangled in one of the snares. As soon as a bird is snared it should be disentangled and put into a covered basket ot- a paper bag ; pin-holes may be made in the bag to allow the air to enter. In this way birds may be carried home without injury ; being in the dark they are not likely to hurt or disfigure themselves by struggling for their liberty. A cage is not only an awkward, unwieldy contrivance to carry in the field, but is objectionable from the fact that a wild bird caught and thrust into a cage will bruise its head and wings badly by striking against the bars in the efforts it makes to escape, paper bags, pasteboard boxes, or covered baskets will do to carry home captured wild birds in. The Spring Snare. Make a low arch by pointing both ends of a stick and forcing them into the ground. Cut a switch and bend it into the form of a lawn tennis racket, and with a string fasten the small end of the switch to the part that answers to the handle of the 220 Autumn, bat or racket ; just beyond the point where the small end ter-^ minates cut a notch in the large part or handle for the catch- stick to fit in. Make a short stick, with one end wedge-shaped, for a catch-stick. Drive a peg at such a distance in front of the arch that when the loop of the spreader is slipped over the peg the notch on the butt end will come just far enough to allow the catch-stick to hold it, as in Fig. 143. For a spring use an elastic young sapling. After stripping off the leaves and branches, attach a line to the top, tie the other end of the line to the catch-stick, and just above the cross stick fasten one end of a slip-noose to the line. To set the snare, bend the sapling until you can pass the catch-stick under the bender or arch, Figs. 143,- 144. Raise the spreader from the ground about an inch ; let the catch-stick hold it in this position, and spread the slip-noose over the toc)p-stick ; your trap is now ready. To attract the birds, scatter some appropriate bait in- side and very little outside. The birds will follow the trail of food up to the stretcher, and seeing the bait inside will hop upon the stretcher preparatory to going within. The stretcher, being only supported by friction where it bears against tha Traps and Trappings. 221 catch and peg, will drop under the weight of a very small bird. The catch loosened slips out from under the bender, and the spring flying suddenly back draws the slip-noose around the wing, legs, or neck of the unfortunate bird. Unless speedily re- leased by the trapper the bird will strangle or beat itself to death against the ground, or any objects within reach. All snares should be watched if the birds are wanted alive, Hen-Coop Trap. This rustic trap is ^sometimes set with an ordinary figure four (Fig. 138) by the colored people down South, and with it they catch a great many wild ducks and other water fowl. The coop is made of sticks piled up after the manner of a log cabin (Fig. 145). To one of the bot- tom sticks a withe, made of a green wand,* is attached; the other end is then brought over the top of the trap and at- tached to the bottom stick upon the opposite side. The withe is tightened by for- cing sticks under it at the top of the coop. When all is taut the sticks keep their positions, and unless very roughly used * Withes may be made of ozier, willow, alder, hazel, white birch, white cherry, or eyen cedar branches. Cut a branch or sapling, and after trimming the small branches off, place the small end under one foot, grasp the large end with both hands, and by a revolving motion twis't the wand until the fibres become loosened and the stick looks like a rope. Indeed it will be a vegetable rope, which, if well made, will bear considerable strain, and be not only serviceable in making traps, but answer for binding logs to- gether for a raft. Remarkably good and strong swings can be made of withes of woo4* Fig. 145.— Hen-Coop. 222 Autumn. will not slip out. Fig. 146 shows another manner of setting the henvcoop trap, by fastening a piece of willow or any other similar wood by two strings or withes to one end of the coop, so as to allow considerable freedom of motion to the semi-circu- lar arch formed by the willow, which should be small enough and bent in such a manner that all parts of the arch will come inside the coop. Take two forked sticks and make the straight part of one of such a length that it might support one end of the coop. Cut one of the forks off the second stick and leave about two inches of the other fork on (see B, Fig. 146). Make B about an inch shorter than A (Fig. 146). Raise the side of the coop, thrusting the crook on the end of B through the fork on the end of A, slip the crook under the edge of the coop, and push the bottom of B back in- side of the willow, lifting the latter,high enough to bear on the stick B and hold it in position. A will rest outside the coop, as in the illustration. A bird hopping upon the willow wand will cause it to sHp down ; this will displace the stick A, loosen the catch, prd down comes the coop, enclosing the bird. A rustic trap of this description can be made without the aid of guiy other tools than a hatchet or a knife for cutting the sticks. Fig. 146.— Hen-Coop Trap. CHAPTER XXIV. DOGS. What They are Good For and How to Train Them.. It is true that a boy can do without a canine companion and live to enjoy Hfe, but he is al- most incomplete ; he lacks some- thing ; he has lost a gratifica- tion, a harmless, pleasant expe- rience, and the loss leaves an empty space in his boyhood life that nothing can ever quite fill up. A boy without a dog is like an unfinished story. What your left hand is to your right, a boy's dog is to the boy. More particularly is all this true of the lad who lives either in the country or within walking dis- tance of forest and stream. To be of any value either as a hunting dog, a watch dog or even a companion in one's rambles, it is absolutely necessary that the dog should be educated, and where there is a possibil- ity of doing so, it is desirable to secure a young puppy. No matter what your choice in breed may be, whether it is a New- foundland, bull, skye, greyhound, pointer, setter, or toy terrier, get the pup and train it yourself. 224 Autumn. How to Choose a Dog. ** Blood will tell," whether it flows in the veins of a horse, man, or dog. The reader can readily understand that it would be not only absurd but absolutely cruel to keep a Newfound- land, deer-hound, water-spaniel, pointer, setter, or any other similar breed of dog confined within the narrow limits of that small bit of ground attached to the city house and dignified by the name of a yard. It would be equally as absurd and almost as cruel for a farmer boy to try and keep one of those expen- sive, diminutive, delicate, nervous, city dogs known under the general title of a *' toy dog " or ''fancy breed." The agile, bright-eyed "■ black-and-tan," and the delicate and graceful Ital- ian greyhound, are full of fun, but as unreliable as beautiful. Thoughtless, rollicking, exquisites ! Such dogs are scarcely the kind either city or country boy would choose for playmates or companions. What most boys want is a dog that combine's the qualities of a boon companion and a good watch dog. By the latter is meant a dog whose intelligence is sufficient for it to discriminate between friend and foe, and whose courage will prompt it to attack the latter without hesitancy. It must also be a dog that may be taught to '' fetch " and carry, to hunt for rat, squirrel, or rabbit, as well as to obey and trust in its mas- ter. It should be so cleanly in his habits as to be unobjec- tionable in-doors, and should possess judgment enough to know- when its company is not agreeable, and at such times keep out of the way. The poodle is perhaps the best trick dog, but is disliked by many on account of its thick woolly coat being so difhcult to (keep clean. The wirey-haired Scotch terrier is a comical, intel- ligent animal, and a first-rate comrade for a boy. The New- foundland is faithful, companionable, and powerful enough to protect children, to whom, if there be any around the house, it JJogs. 225 will become very much attached and a self-constituted guar- dian. The spaniel is pretty, affectionate, and docile. Almost all the sporting dogs make first-class watch-dogs, but are restless and troublesome if confined, and, as a rule, they are too large for the house. The shepherd is remarkably intel- ligent, and, when well trained, makes a trusty dog for genera] purposes. The bull, although not necessarily as fierce and vicious as one would suppose from its looks and reputation, still is hardly the dog for a pet or companion, being of a dull and heavy nature, and not lively enough to suit the taste of the boy of the period. A little of the bull mixed in the blood of an- other more lively breed makes a good dog, of which a thorough- bred bull-terrier is an example. The Rev. J. G. Wood, in speaking of the latter, says : " The skilful dog-fancier contrives a judicious mixture of the two breeds, and engrafts the tenacity, endurance, and daunts less courage of the bull-dog upon the more agile and frivolous terrier. Thus he obtains a dog that can do almost anything, and though, perhaps, it may not surpass, it certainly rivals al- most every other variety of dog in its accomplishments. In the capacity for learning tricks it scarcely yields, if it does yield/ at all, to the poodle. It can retrieve as well as the dog which is especially bred for that purpose. It can hunt the fox with the regular hounds, it can swim and dive as well as the New- foundland dog. In the house it is one of the wariest and most intelligent of dogs, permitting no unaccustomed footstep to enter ' the domains without giving warning.' " Although some may think the Rev. J. G. Wood to be a little too enthusi- astic in his description of the bull-terrier's good qualities, still if they have ever owned a properly trained animal of this breed, they will undoubtedly agree with the great naturalist so far as to acknowledge this particular dog to be about the best for a 226 , Autumn. boy's dog. With an ardor not excelled by his young master, the bull-terrier will chase any sort of game, and will attack and fight any foe at its master's bidding. Indeed the great fault of this kind of dog is that it is incUned to be too quar- relsome among other dogs, and careful attention should be paid to correcting this fault, which may be entirely eradicated by kind and firm treatment ; but should any canine bully attack your pet, woe be unto him, for, unless he comes from good fighting stock, he will rue the day he ever picked that quarrel How to Train Dogs. First of all teach your dog that you mean exactly what you say, and that he must obey you. To do this you should never give a foolish command; but if a thoughtless order be once given, even though you repent it as soon as it has escaped from your lips, do not hesitate, but insist upon your pupil instantly obeying — that is, if the dog, in your judgment, understands the order. Never, under any circumstances, allow him to shirk, and even a naturally stupid pup will learn to look upon your word as law and not think of disobeying. Strict obedience to your word, whistle or slightest gesture once obtained, it is an easy task to finish the dog's education. Bear in mind that there is about as great a difference in the character and natural intelligence of dogs as there is in boys. Not only does this exist between the distinct varieties of dogs, but also between the different individuals of the same variety. All Newfoundlands possess similar characteristics, but each in- dividual varies considerably in intelligence, amiability, and all those little traits that go to make up a dog's character. I men- tion this fact that you may not be disappointed, or make your poor dog suffer because it cannot learn as fast or as much as some one you may know of. And here let me say, and impress upon your mind, that to make your dog obey, or to teach \\ Vogs. 227 the most difficult trick or feat, it is seldom necessary to use the whip. If the dog, as he sometimes will do, knowingly and wilfully disobeys, the whip may be used sparingly ; one sharp blow is generally sufficient ; it should be accompanied with a reprimand in words. Never lose your patience and beat an animal in anger. To successfully train a dog it is necessary to place the greatest restraint upon your own feelings, for if you once give way to anger the dog will know it, and one-half your influence is gone. To be sure the special line of education de- pends upon the kind of a dog you have, and what you want him to do. The pointer or setter you may commence to teach to " stand," at a very early age, using first a piece of meat, prais- ing and petting him when he does well, and reprimanding when required. Do not tire your pup out, but if he does well once let him play and sleep before trying again. As he grows older, replace the meat with a dead bird. The best sportsmen of to- day do not allow their bird dogs to retrieve, saying that the ** mouthing " of the dead and bloody birds affiscts the fineness of their noses. To bring in birds, the sportsman has following at his heels a cocker spaniel, large poodle, or almost any kind of dog, who is taught to follow patiently and obediently until game is killed and he receives the order to " fetch." To Teach a Dog to Retrieve. Commence with the young pup. Almost any dog will chase a ball and very soon learn to bring it to his master. When you have taught your dog to '' fetch," he may be tried with game. It is very probable that the first bird he brings will be badly ** mouthed ; " that is, bitten and mangled ; to break him of this, prepare a ball of yarn so wound over pins that the slightest pressure will cause the points to protrude and prick any object pressed against the ball. After the dog has pricked his mout^ 228 ' Autumn, once or twice with this ball he will learn to pick it up and carry it in the most delicate manner ; he may then be tried again with a bird. This time he will probably bring it to you without so much as ruffling a feather; but. if notwithstanding his experi- ence with a ball of pins your dog still ** mouths " the game, you must skin a bird and arrange the ball and pins inside the bird skin so as to prick sharply upon a light pressure ; make the dog ** fetch " the bird skin until he is completely broken of his bad habit of biting or " mouthing " game. Pointers and Setters. At first you will have to give your commands by word of mouth, but if you accompany each command by an appropriate gesture, the pup will soon learn to understand and obey the slightest motion of the hand or head. The less noise there is the greater is the chance of killing game. Nothing is more un- sportsmanlike than shouting in a loud voice 'to your dog while in the field. After teaching a dog to '*heel," '* down charge," and to ** hi on " at command, you may show him game and teach him to "quarter" his ground by moving yourself in the direction you wish the dog to go. The dog will not be long in under- standing and obeying. When your pointer comes to a point teach him to be steady by repeating softly, ''steady, boy, steady," at the same time holding up your hand. In course of time the words may be omitted ; the hand raised as a caution will keep the dog steady ; but should he break point and flush the game, as a young dog is more than liable to do, you may give him the whip and at the same time use some appropriate words that the dog will remember ; the next time the word without the whip will correct him. After your dog has been taught to obey, it is well to put him in the field with an old, well-trained dog. Dogs, 229 As every sportsman has a peculiar system of his own for breaking a dog, it is scarcely necessary for me to give more than these few hints ; only let me again caution you against using the whip too often. Spare the lash and keep a good stock of patience on hand ; otherwise in breaking the dog you will also break his spirit and have a mean, treacherous animal that will slink and cringe at your slightest look, but seldom obey you when he thinks he is out of reach of the dreaded whip. Pet Dogs. All dogs, whether intended for the field, for pets, or for com- panions, should be taught to follow at their master's heels at the command of "heel," to run ahead at the command of *' hi on," and to drop at the command of ** charge" or "down charge." When your dog learns to obey these simple com- mands, it will be found an easy matter to extricate and keep your canine friend out of scrapes. Suppose you have a small but pugnacious dog and in your walk you meet a large, ugly- tempered brute much too powerful for your own dog to master in the fight that is certain to ensue unless by some command you can prevent it. The strange dog will not obey you, but if you give the order to " heel" to your own dog he will follow with his nose at your heels, and the enemy will seldom if ever attack a dog while so near his master. Study the characteristics of your dog, and by taking advan- tage of its peculiarities it may be taught many amusing tricks. I have a little dog called Monad, and whether his master walks, drives, sails or rows Monad always accompanies him, .even sit- ting in front of the sliding seat of a single shell boat for hours at a time, perfectly happy and apparently conscious of the at- tention he attracts from all people on the shore or in the pass- ing boats ; the latter he generally salutes with a bark. Monad will, when requested to do so, close a door, sneeze, bark, or sit 230 Autumn, upon his haunches and rub his nose, besides numerous othef amusing tricks. One day Monad smelled of a lighted cigar ; the smoke in- haled caused him to sneeze ; this gave me an idea; lighting a match I held it toward him, at the same time repeating, ** sneeze ! sneeze, sir ! " The smoke made him sneeze, and after repeating the operation several times I held out an unlighted match and commanded him to sneeze ; the dog sneezed at once. It was then an easy step to make him sneeze at the word without the match. Monad is now very proud of this accomplishment, and when desirous of ''showing off" always commences by sneezing. In much the same manner I taught him to rub his nose by blowing in his face and repeating the words, *' rub your nose." The breath coming in contact with that sensitive organ appa- rently tickled it and he would rub it with his paws. After one or two trials he learned to rub his little black nose in a very comical manner whenever commanded to do so. By patting your leg with your hand and at the same time calling your dog, it will learn to come to you and place his fore paws against your leg. If you take advantage of this and pat the door the next time with your hand, the dog will stand on its hind legs and rest its fore paws against the door. Reward him with a bit of meat or a caress, and then opening the door a few inches go through with the same performance, giving the command to close the door ; by degrees, as the dog learns, open the door wider, and without moving from your chair or position in the room give the command, '' close the door, sir." The dog will by this time understand your meaning, and resting his fore paws against the panels, follow the door until it closes with a bang. Perhaps there is no simple trick that excites more surprise than this. A friend comes in and leaves the door open ; you rise, greet your friend, ask him to be seated ; then, as if for the first Dogs, 231 time noticing the fact of the door being open, speak to your dog ; the latter closes the door and lies down again by the fireside in a most methodical mannei. The friend is thoroughly convinced that that particular dog has more sense than any other canine in the world, and ever after, when dogs are the topic of con- versation, he will tell the story of the dog that shut the door. In the same manner innumerable odd, amusing, or useful tricks may be taught, among the simplest of which are the ones which excite the most applause from spectators. If your dog is fond of carrying a stick in his mouth, it will be an easy matter to make him carry a basket. Take advantage of every peculiarity of your pet's character, encouraging and developing the good points, but keeping the bad traits subdued, and you will soon have an amusing and reasoning canine companion. Never throw a dog into the water; it frightens him and makes the poor animal dread a bath. Let the dog wade at first ; then by throwing sticks or other objects a little further out each time, and commanding him to fetch, the dog will not only learn to swim after the object, but also learn to thor- oughly enjoy the bath, and can even be taught to dive and jump off of high places. There are dogs that will jump from an elevation twelve feet above the water. Always be firm but kind; teach your dog to have confidence in you, and you may place implicit trust in your canine friend, and be sure whatevei* misfortune befalls you, you will have a friend who, though he be a four-footed one, will never forsake you, but live and (5ie for the master it has learned to love and trust. CHAPTER XXV. i PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY FOR BOYS. To the practical naturalist a knowledge of taxidermy is nov only an interesting accomplishment from which to derive amusement, but is almost an absolute necessity, an indispensa- ble adjunct to his profession. Probably there is no study the pursuit of which affords such opportunities for physical exer- cise and real healthy enjoyment as that of natural history. It is a study that, by broadening the horizon of thought, enlarges the capacity for pleasure. To the pride of the sportsman in exhibiting the results of his skill and success, the naturalist adds the intelligent pleasure of acquiring a more complete knowl- edge of the life and habits, nature and anatomy of his trophies, as well as the ability to detect at a glance any unknown genus or rare variety he may capture ; and here the practical knowl- edge of taxidermy enables him to properly preserve the other wise perishable specimen. Captain Thomas Brown, F.L.S., says that boys ought to be instructed in the art of stuffing birds and mammals. So, boys, you have good authority for commencing young ; but do not suppose that after reading the following directions you can sit down, and, without any previous experience, set up a bird as neatly and perfectly as one of those you see in the museums or show windows. On the contrary, you must expiect to make one or two dismal failures, but each failure will teach you what to avoid in the next attempt. Let us suppose an owl has been lowering around suspi- Practical Taxidermy for Boys, 233 ciously near the pigeon house or chicken coop, and that you have shot the rascal. Do not throw him away. What a splen- did ornament he will make for the library ! How appro- priate that wise old face of his will be peering over the top of the book-case ! (Fig. I47). He must be skinned and stuffed ! With a damp sponge carefully remove any blood- stains there may be upon his plum- age. Plug up the mouth and nos- trils with cotton ; also insert cotton in all the shot holes, to prevent any more blood oozing out and soiling the feathers. You may then lay him aside in some cool place until you are ready to begin the opera- tion of skinning and stuffing the owl. Measure the length of the bird, following the curves of the form, from root of tail to top of head, and its girth about the body ; make a note of these figures. Fig. 147. — Stuffed and Mounted. Skinning. Place the bird on its back upon the table, in such a position that the head will be toward your left hand; then, with the knife in your right hand you are ready to make the incision. With your left hand separate the feathers, left and right, from- the apex of the breast-bone to the tail (Fig. 148). Cut a straight slit through the skin between these points, using the utmost care to prevent me knife penetrating the flesh or the inner skin which encloses the intestines. With a bird as large as the owl, you will find that you can easily separate the skin from the flesh with your fingers, though it may be best to use a blunt instrument, such as a small ivory paper-cutter, to reach 234 Autumn, the back Dy passing it underneath the skin. In removing the skin you must try to shove in lieu of puUIng, lest you stretch it out of shape. Press as lightly as possible upon the birdy stopping occasionally to take a view to see that ^11 is right and that the feathers are not being soiled or broken. When you come to the head do not let the skin dangle from your hand or its own weight will stretch it. Bearing these things in mind, you can commence removing the skin in the following manner : Press the skin apart at the incision, and dust the ex- posed part with Indian meal to absorb any flu- ids that may escape ; c a r e - fully Hft the skin on one side and separate from muscles of the breast with the point of your knife and a small ivory paper-folder alternately, as occasion may require, until the leg is reached and you have approached as near as possible to the wings. Having accom- plished this, and dusted again with the Indian meal, the thighs must be pressed inward and the skin turned back far enough tc allow you to use your knife and disarticulate the hip-joint. Bend the tail toward the back ; keep down the detached skin upon each side of the incision with the thumb and first finger of the left hand ; then with your knife make a deep cut, expos- ing the backbone at a point near the oil gland, which you will find near the root of the tail : sever the backbone near this Fig. I The Incision. Practical Taxidermy for Boys. 235 point, but be careful to leave a large enough piece of it to sup- port the tail feathers. Take the part of the body which is now denuded of the skin in the left hand and peel the skin upward to the wings ; during this operation your knife or small scissors may be used to cut any of the tendons which are met with. Separate the wings from the body at the shoulder-joint. Next turn your attention to the head and neck. Push the skin back toward the head, after the manner of removing a kid glove from the finger, until the back part of the skull is laid bare ; then with your knife detach the vertebrae (neck bone) from the head. This will sever all connection between the body and the skin. The dismembered, denuded carcass may be thrown aside and your attention turned to skinning the head, which member in an owl is so large in proportion to the neck that care must be used in drawing the skin of the neck over it, lest you stretch the skin. A great deal depends upon the delicacy of your touch, especially when you reach the eyes. Work slowjy ; cut the ears close to the skull ; do not cut either the eyelid or the eyeball, but separate them carefully ; then remove the eyes, which can be done by breaking the slender bones which sepa- rate the orbits (eye-holes) in the skull from the top of the mouth. Cut away all flesh from the neck ; at the same time remove a small portion of the base of the skull. Through the. opening thus made extract the brains with a small spoon or some similar instrument, after which draw the tongue through the same cavity. After removing all fleshy particles from the head and neck, and scraping out the eye-holes, paint them with arsenical soap and stufl" them tightly with cotton. Be careful not to detach the skin from the bill, as the skull must be left in place. Coat the interior of the skull with arsenical "oap and fill it with tow. The wings and legs §till remain intact. Push back the wings 236 Autumn. to the first joint ; lay the bones bare, removing all the meat Paint with arsenical soap and return them to their places. Go through the same process with the legs and rump ; and after all flesh and fatty matter have been removed, paint the whole inte- rior of the skin thoroughly with arsenical soap, and you are ready to begin the operation of Stuffing. Take a piece of straight wire (size 20) equal in length to the measurement you made from root of tail to top of head ; wind about it a bunch of excelsior (straw will answer as a sub- stitute for excelsior shav- ings) ; secure this to the wire by repeated wrappings of stout thread, and mould the bundle into a shape resemb- ling the bird's body ; regu- late the girth by the measure- ment you noted down for that purpose before you com- menced the skinning process. When you have completed the artificial body there will, of course, be a portion of the Fig. 149.— Owl-Skin and False Body. wire still bare, which represents the neck. File the extremity of this wire to a sharp point, then force it diagonally up through the skull to the top, where it must be clinched ; wrap the neck wire between the artificial body and the head with cotton bat- ting (Fig. 149). Now draw the skin back so as to cover the artificial neck and body. The eyelids must be carefully pulled in place over the cot ton in the eye-holes, or orbits • pull the eyelids up nicely, to Practical Taxidermy for Boys, 237 make the parts about the eye appear plump and natural. Push more cotton down the throat until it has a round, real look. For the legs use two pieces of wire, each sharpened at one end. The taxidermist must shove the wire through the ball of the foot and guide it Fig. 150. — Wiring the Leg. with the other hand up along the side of the bones of the leg, the skin being turned back for that purpose (Fig. 150). This figure shows the leg with skin turned back, as it appears when the wire is pushed through. Wind cotton around both wire and bone to the natural thickness of the thigh, and go through the same process with the other leg ; then push the wires clear through the artificial body and bend the protruding ends into a hook form (Fig. 151). Taking hold at the part ex- tending from the bottom of the foot, pull the wire of each leg down until the hooks fasten firmly into the body. The ends of the wires protruding from the foot are left to fas- ten the bird to its perch, which is done either by wrapping the wires around the perch or by thrusting them through holes made for the purpose and clinching the ends. With a few- stitches sew up the hole in the breast. For After your owl is set uf in Fig. 151.- -Showing how Leg-Wire is attached to False Body. bmall birds this is not necessarv. 238 Autumn. this manner, gather the wings up close to the body and fasten them there by thrusting two wires, one from each side, diagon- ally through the skin of the second joint. If you wish the tail to be spread you must push a wire across the body through each feather. Eyes can be made of white marbles painted yellow with black centres, but glass eyes are better and cost very little. To fix the eyes, put a touch of glue upon the cotton in each orbit and insert the glass eyes, being careful to place them properly under the eyelids ; with a sharp needle pull the lids nicely in place. The stuffing of the bird is now finished, and it may be placed upon the branch in some natural position (Fig. 147, page 233). The attitude fixed, it only remains to put the feathers in their natural order as smoothly and regularly as possible, and to keep them in place by winding a thread over the body very loosely, beginning at the head and winding until all the feathers are secured (Fig. 152). The bird must be left in some dry place for several days. When it is perfectly dry the thread may be taken off and all protruding wires cut close to the body. The specimen is now ready for the parlor or library. The above directions, with very little modification, will serve for any other bird. Fig. 152. por practice, a chicken is the best subject, as it is easily obtained and large enough not to be readily damaged by the awkwardness of a beginner. The more tools you have the better, but if my reader has carefully read the foregoing description he must have noticed that during the whole process of skinning and stuffing the owl Practical Taxidermy for Boys, 239 the only tools used were such as are within the reach o! every boy — a penknife, a paper-cutter, small spoon (a mustard- spoon will answer), and a thread and needle. Arsenical soap is the only material used not likel}^ to be easily procured. This preparation is of course very poisonous and should be so labelled. It can be procured of any taxidermist or made by any drug gist from the following recipe of Becoeur ; Arsenic in powder 2 pounds. Camphor 5 ounces. White soap 2 pounds. Salt of tartar 12 ounces. Powdered lime 4 ounces. Mr. J. Wallace, the taxidermist, recommends the following recipe: *' Dissolve ten pounds of finely cut, best white soap in warm water ; add one pound of potash ; thicken with pipe- clay and a little lime to give the preparation body ; heat and stir well. When cooling add ten pounds of arsenic." Of course the young beginner will not need any such quantity as is repre- sented in either of these recipes, but if he goes to the druggist that gentleman can make the soap in any quantity desired. The utmost care must be observed in handling this preparation and keeping it out of the reach of children and animals, although it is not very tempting in taste or looks and hence not as danger- ous as other compounds might be, A New Manner of Preserving Fish. The boys at school used to say, " You cannot eat your apple and keep it." Being not only fond of fishing and fish, but also taking an interest in the study of ichthyology, the question with me has been, How can I eat my fish and still pre^ 240 AMtumn. serve it for future reference ? A few experiments and several failures suggested a plan which has proved partially successful. Having caught a very large bass or trout that you would like to preserve as a trophy, or some odd-looking fish that you want to keep as a specimen, the following is the plan to adopt : Place your fish upon a piece of paper of any kind you may have, or a piece of birch bark ; spread out the fins and trace a careful and accurate outline ; then with your pocket-knife re- move the tail at a point just beyond its junction with the body of the fish ; in the same manner cut off the fins, being careful not to injure them ; a small portion of flesh will be attached to each ; this must be re- moved with your knife. Put the fins in a safe place, and again taking your knife, insert the blade under the gill and cut up to the centre of FIG. 153-Portfolio of Fish. ^j^^ ^^p Qf ^l^g j^g^^ . gpij^ the head down in a line exactly on the top to the upper jaw ; carefully cut through this and the lower jaw to where the gill commences underneath ; this will sever the whole side of the head. Cut away all the flesh from the inside and remove all the bony structures possible without injuring the outside. The eyes can be removed so as to leave the outside skin or covering unbroken. Wash the half of the head clean and put that with the fins in your note-book, taking care to leave a leaf of paper between each, to prevent their adhering together. When you reach home you can have the fish cooked, and while it is cooking trace the outline of the fish upon a clean sheet of white paper ; take the fins, head and tail from your note-book, dampen them with a sponge or wet cloth, and with glue or mucilage fasten them in their proper places upon the Practical Taxidermy for Boys, 241 * outline drawing, distended by means of pins ; the latter may be removed after the glue or mucilage is dry ; write in one corner the weight of the fish, the date upon which it was caught, and the name of the place where it was captured. You can then frame it or number the sheet and place it in a port- folio (Fig. 153). In the course of a season's fishing quite an interesting and valuable portfolio of fishes can be made. The •writer has often caught fish whose names were unknown to him, and in this manner preserved them, or enough of them to identify the fish at some future period when he had time to look it up. Diagram Showing the Parts of a Fish. — A, first dorsal fin ; B, second dorsal fin ; C, caudal fin ; D, pectoral fin ; E, ventral fin ; F, anal fin ; b, operculum or gill cover proper ; a, preoperculum or fore-gill cover ; d, interoperculum, or middle gill cover ; c, suboperculum, or under gill cover ; e, branchiostegous, or gill rays ; f, lateral line. Design for a Sketching Aquarium. If the reader desire to try his artistic skill and attempt a colored drawing of a fish, he should do it from life. To see the fish as it really appears, a very simple contrivance can be made in the form of an aquarium, with wooden ends and glass sides ; the wooden ends must have perpendiqular grooves in them sq 242 Autumn, that an extra pane of glass can be used as a slide (Fig. 154), Place the live fish in the aquarium, and when he is on one side of it quickly slip the slide in so as to im- prison the fish in such a narrow space that he is unable to flop or turn around, but must patient- ly keep his broad- side to the artist until the picture is finished. i Fig. 154. — Cross Section of a Sketching Aquarium. Preserving In- sects. Great care must be taken in killing insects, in- tended for the cabinet, and death should be produced without disfiguring them or rubbing off the down or scales that covers the bocjies and wings of some specimens. A convenient and success- ful way to kill insects is to drop them into a wide-mouthed bottle, the bottom of which is lined with blotting-paper that has been previously saturated with ether, benzine, creosote or chloroform. When a butterfly, bug, or beetle is put into a bottle prepared in this manner, and the bottle tightly corked, the insect expires without a struggle, and hence without injuring itself From the bottle the specimens may be taken and pinned upon a mounting- board, consisting of two strips of wood resting upon supports at Fig. 155. — ^Mounting-Board, Practical Taxidermy for Boys. 243 each end, a space being left between the strips for the body of the insect. Under this space or crack a piece of cork is fastened (Fig. 155) in which to stick the point of the pin. After pin- ning the specim^^n to the mounting-board, spread the wings and Fig. 157. Beetle, with legs set. (S Fig -Butterfly pinned to Mounting- Board. Leg-pin. legs out in a natural position, and if it be a butterfly or moth, fasten its wings in position with bits of paper and pins, as shown in Fig. 156. An ingenious and simple device for pinning the leg of an insect is illustrated by Fig. 157. It consists of two needles with their heads driven into a small pine stick. Morse Insect Box. Mr. E. S. Morse gives probably the best device for arrang- ing an insect box for the cabinet. It consists of a light wooden frame with paper stretched upon the upper and under sur- face. Dampen the paper and glue it to the frame * when the ^\C 158. — Cross Section of Morse Insect Box. paper dries it will contract and become as tight as a drum-head. Inside the box upon two sides fasten cleats, and let their top edges be about one-quarter of an inch above the bottom. Rest L fe=^ TBrn 244 Autumn, the paper-covered frame upon these cleats and secure it in posi- tion. The bottom of the box should be Hned with soft pine to receive the points of the pins. The space under the frame can be dusted with snuff and camphor to keep out such insects as delight to feed upon the prepared specimens of their relatives. Fig. 158 shows a cross section of a box upon Mr. Morse's plan. The La"wrence Breeding Box. The best moths and butterflies are obtained by rearing the caterpillars in cages made for the purpose. I am indebted to Mr. Albert Lawrence for the accompanying plan of a larvae box, invented and used by himself for several seasons (see Fig. Fig. 159. — Mr. Albert Lawrence's Breeding Box. 159). The Lawrence box, as may be seen by the diagram, can be taken apart and packed away when not in use or during transportation. The sides, ends, and top are wooden frarnes covered with wire netting ; the bottom is a flat board. They are all joined by hooks and screw-eyes. To take them apart it is only neces- sary to unfasten the hooks. Practical Taxidermy for Boys, 245 Spiders are very likely to lose their colors if placed in spirits, and if pinned and dried like beetles they will' not only lose all color, but their bodies will shrivel up and change in form and proportion to such a degree as to make the specimens next to worthless. Mr. Ralph Hemingray, of Covington, Ky., sent the author some spider bottles manufactured under his direction of ^ery thick, clear, white glass, three inches high by one and one-quarter inch broad, and three- (^uarters of an inch thick. These bottles are convenient in shape, and when a spi- der is put in one and the bottle filled with jjlycerine, the spider looks as if it might be imbedded in a solid block of crystal. I have had some brightly colored gar- den spiders preserved in this manner for Kwo years, and they have not only retained fig. i6o liheir original shape but color also. In the place of corks, pieces of elastic are stretched over the tops of the bottles ; this allows the glycerine to expand or contract. Fig. 160 represents a drawing of one of these bottles with a spider in it. A case of specimens preserved in this manner makes not only an interesting cabinet, but a very pretty one. Although many persons have a horror of spiders, they lose all their nervousness when the insects are seen neatly labelled and enclosed in pretty glass bottles. -The Hemingray Bottle. Ho"W to Make Beautiful or Comical Groups and Designs of Insects. Many really beautiful, as well as some absurdly. comical de- signs can be made of properly preserved insects by ingenious lads. Butterflies may be made to have the appearance of hovering in mid-air by mounting them upon extremely fine wire. 246 Autumn. Grasshoppers can be arranged in comical, human-like atti- tudes. ^ Beetles may be harnessed like horses to a tiny car made of the half of an English walnut-shell. A very pretty design can be made by seating a grasshopper in a delicate sea-shell of some kind, and glueing the shell to a bit of looking-glass; fine wires attached to the shell will answer the double purpose of a support and harness for a couple of flying beetles ; a little moss glued around the sides so as to conceal the ragged edges of the glass will add greatly to the effect, and the whole will have the appearance of a fairy boat being drawn over the surface of the water by two flying beetles, guided by the long-legged imp in the shell. Preserved insects are exceedingly brittle, the least touch will often break off a wing or leg or otherwise disfigure the specie men, hence it is necessary not only to be very careful in hand- ling them, but to supply some sort of cover to protect them from accidents, dust, and injurious insects. Dome-shape glass- covers are best adapted for small groups or compositions, and these may be obtained from the dealers at moderate prices, or, if the young taxidermist has acquired sufficient skill to make his work valuable, he can readily trade off duplicate specimens for glass-covers, as many amateurs as well as some professionals do. Marine Animals. Starfish must be first placed in fresh water and allowed to remain there for several hours ; they may then be removed and spread out upon a board, and held in position by pins or nails driven in the board alongside of the rays, but not into the creature. Put the board in a dry place out of the sun, and the air v/ill absorb all the moisture in the specimens ; the latter, as they dry, become hard and stiff. I have several starfish preserved in this simple manner, and Practical Taxider^ny for Boys, 247 although no pickle or artificial preservative was used, they have kept in good condition for several years. Small crabs may be dried in the same manner. The flesh must be extracted from the big pincers of the larger crabs and lobsters ; this may be done by breaking off the points of the pincers and removing the meat with a crooked wire. The points of the claws should be saved and glued in place after the animal is dry. The smaller claws may be allowed to dry ; small lioles pierced in them will allow the air to enter and facilitate the drying process. The insides of both lobsters and large crabs must be removed from an opening made underneath. Wash them with cold water and inject carbolic acid and water into their extremities ; place them upon a board to dry, with their legs spread out ; after all moisture has evaporated, varnish them and fasten the bodies and legs of the specimens to a board with fine wires. All soft-bodied animals, such as squids and slugs, can be pre- served in spirits. Sea-urchins, such as are found i/pon our coast, may be dried like starfish, but it is best to remove the insides of the larger specimens. With these suggestions, sufficient to help the young taxider- mist, I will close this chapter. I havo purposely avoided ad- vising the use of expensive material or tools ; where it was possi- ble, I have not suggested the use of poisonous preservatives, but have given the most simple and safe methods of mounting specimens for the cabinet or for decorations. } Egg Blow-pipe and Drill. CHAPTER XXVI, EVERY BOY A DECORATIVE ARTIST. Shadow Pictures — Photographic Paper — How to Enlarge or Reduce a Picture, etc. One day while the author was sketching, a piece of draw- ing-paper happened to fall upon the ground in the bright sunlight. As the paper rested on the sward the shadows of the grass and weeds were cast upon it. How beautiful and grace- ful they were ! Stooping down the writer passed his brush over the shadows ; the result was a sort of half silhouette, an excellent suggestion for a bit of fore- ground or a decoration. If the thousands of amateur decorators that are daily en- gaged in daubing pictures of all manner of unnatural- looking plants upon china would only confine them- FiG. i6i.— Shadow cast by a Dandelion. selvCS tO tracing in OnC Col- or the simple shadows cast by plants in the sunlight, what graceful and pleasing designs Mother Nature would furnish Every Boy a Decorative Artist 249 them ! How much more pleasant it would be to eat off dishes decorated in this manner than to be called upon ♦o admire and eat from china covered with "finiky" little flowers or broad, meaningless daubs of color intended to represent something only known to the artist (?) who conceived the design. Any boy can make the most graceful de- signs by placing a piece of paper in such a position that the shadow of a flower or fern shall fall upon it. Then with a small paint brush and some ink he may carefully paint in the shadow just as it falls upon the pa- per. Fig. 161 shows a dan- delion, a fac- simile of a sketch made in the manner just described. Fig. 162 is an anemone. Not only can beautiful designs be made, but valuable sets of botani- cal sketches can be obtained in this manner, as no skill is required with the brush ; all that is necessary is to follow the shadow on the paper. A wooden frame or stretcher might be used with a candle or lamp at night. By tacking the paper over the stretcher, then placing a pot or vase containing plants in front of the light and the stretcher in front of the plants, the shadows of the plants Fig. 162. — Shadow cast by an Anemone. 250 ' Autumn. will be thrown upon the paper and show through, so that they can be painted upon the opposite side of the paper without any danger of moving either the light or plants, . At most of the artists' material stores in New York there is to be found for sale a sensitive paper which changes color when exposed to the light. If a shadow be cast upon this paper by some object between it and the sunlight, the paper will grow lighter in color all around the shadow, and in a few moments the shadow is marked distinctly by the difference in tints. At this stage the paper, which is of a dark blue color, may be re- moved, and if it be held under a stream of water the parts that were covered by the shadow will become white and remain so. I have before me a photograph of a large dragon-fly, which shows all the beautiful network of veins in the wings of that in- „sect traced in the most delicate white lines upon a background of dark blue. I allowed the dragon-fly to rest for a few mo- ments upon a piece of sensitive paper and then quickly placed the paper under a hydrant, with the result described. Photographic paper is not expensive, quite a large sized sheet costing only fifty cents. Many pretty experiments can be tried with*this material. How to Enlarge or Reduce by Squares. Suppose you have a picture of a horse and want to enlarge it. First draw a line under its feet, and at right angles with this line draw another line in front of the horse's head ; divide these lines into equal parts and then carefully rule lines across from these points so as to intersect each other at right angles, as illustrated by Fig. 163. When the horse is all enclosed in squares, take another piece of paper and make exactly the same number of large squares on the paper as there are smaller ones on the horse picture ; number the squares on both as in Every Boy a Decorative Artist 251 i i ~ n L ^ 1 \ 1 r \ i'F .] L % \ ,' L„4 k 1 } < ^ 1 the diagrams (Fig. 163). If you will look at the top diagram you will see that the horse's head cuts off one corner of the upper left hand corner square ; with your pencil make a line cutting off the same part of the corresponding large square ; curve the line like the copy. By again referring to the horse picture you will notice that the line of the neck continued strikes exactly at the inter- section of the lines i and 2 ; draw it so. The next point the line touches just above is the intersection of the lines 2 and 3 ; from this point the line of the back runs almost straight to the point on the tail at the intersection of the lines 2 and 6 ; thus, by find- ing and connecting the points of intersection you may reproduce the whole horse as illustrat- ed by the diagram. In a similar manner a landscape, figure piece or a plan can be accu- rately enlarged by a boy who may have little or no talent for drawing, but who for some purpose wishes to reproduce a'picture or plan. By making the squares on your drawing-paper exactly the same size as those upon the picture, you can draw a fac-simile of the picture, and by making the squares smaller you may reduce a picture. Remember these hints, for when I tell you how to make a puppet show, although a pattern for each puppet is drawn, there is not Space in a book of this size to make all 4 e Q Fig. 163. — Enlargement by Squares. 252 Autumn the puppets large enough, and manybr all may have to be enlarged. How to Make a Camera for Drawing. This instrument necessitates an outlay of from fifty cents to a dollar and a half for a lens ; unless the reader is fortunate enough to already possess a double convex lens, or what is known among boys as a "burning-glass." A small mirror or piece of looking-glass, a small pane of common window glass-, and an old soap or candle box, or some pine lumber of which to make a box, is all the material re- quired. Let the box be about eigh- teen inches long, nine inches deep, and twelve inches wide ; fasten the lens in a hole cut for that purpose at one end of the box. A piece of looking-glass must be fixed at an angle of forty -five degrees at the opposite end of the box. . The angle may be obtained in this manner : if from where the top of the glass rests against the end board, it measures nine inches to the bottom of tht box, then the bottom of the glass should be nine inches fron; the end of the box. Grind the surface of one side of the window-pane glass by rubbing it upon a flat stone or sand-paper. Make a lid to the top of the box, as shown in the illustration, and under the lid fasten the ground glass. Paint or blacken the inside of the box, and adjust the parts by experiment, so that when the lens is Camera for Drawing. Every Boy a Decorative Artist 253 turned toward any object, that object will be immediately re- flected upon the piece of ground glass. No great difficulty need be anticipated by any one in the adjustment of the parts of a camera obscura, as it can be easily arrived at by trial. If a piece of drawing-paper be placed over the ground glass, and the lens turned toward some object, that object will be re- flected upon the glass and shown through the paper in all its natural colors, strong enough to be accurately traced and re- produced. In this manner considerable amusement and instruction can be derived from a home-made camera obscura. If one of these instruments be taken into a darkened room, and the lens allowed to point out through the window, every- thing that passes the house will be reflected upon the ground glass, making a sort of moving, colored, puppet show. IPintef jm. Fig. 164. — Snow-Fort commenced. CHAPTER XXVII. SNOWBALL WARFARE. How to Build Snow-Forts — How to Make Shields and Ammunition Sleds. Cold gray clouds have long since usurped the heavens and driven away the white, fleecy summer cumulus ; the latter, like the birds, have gone to more congenial climes. For several weeks past heavy overcoats have been in demand. The rowing season has closed ; the baseball bats and lawn tennis rackets are stowed away, and the college boys have set- tled down to study and in-door gymnasium practice. In the cities the car and stage drivers swing their arms about and beat their muffled chests in a vain effort to start the blood to circulating in their benumbed fingers. Each pas- senger, as he reads the morning paper, exhales two streams of mist from his nostrils. The horses puff larger streams oi 17. 258 Winter. steam and wear chest protectors. Everybody appears unhappy except the school-boy. The latter's cheeks glow with more than usual color and his eyes sparkle as if with inward merri- ment, for he knows the signs, and the dull, leaden sky to him is only a promise of a big snow storm and '' lots of fun." The frost king has arrived and introduced jolly old Winter. Every boy knows that no season of the year can boast of more healthy out-door games, brimful of fun and excitement, than winter, and that there is no sport among winter games more exciting and amusing than snowball warfare. The interest and fun of the game is greatly enhanced if there be a fort to capture or defend. How to Build the Fort. All the boys must join in building the fort, selecting the highest point of the play-grounds, or, if the grounds be level, the corner of a wall or fence. Supposing the top of a mound has been selected as the place where the works are to be built, the first thing to do is to make out the plan of the foundation. The dimensions depend upon the number of boys. A circle twelve feet in diameter, or a square with sides of ten feet, will make a fort that will accommodate a company of ten boys. It is better to have the fort too small than too large. The chief engineer must set his men to rolling large snowballs ; the smaller boys can commence them and the larger ones take the balls in hand when they have gained in size and become too heavy for the younger boys. Make these balls of snow as large and dense as possible ; then roll them in place upon the lines traced out for the foun- dation. We will suppose it to be a square. In this case, care must be taken to have the corners of the square opposite the most probable approach of the enemy. This will leave the smallest point possible exposed to the attack, and the inmates Snowball fVarfare. 259 of the fort can, without crowding each other, take good aim at the foe. After the four- sides of the square are covered by large snowballs, as in Fig. 164, all hands must pack the snow about the bottom and fill up each crack and crevice until a solid wall is formed. Then with spades and shovels the walls Siiould be trimmed down to a perpendicular on the inside, but slanting upon the outside, as shown in Fig. 165. The top of the wall may be two feet broad and the base four feet. When Fig, 165.— Snow Fort finished. the wall is finished, prepare a mound of snow in the centre of the square for the flag-staff. This mound will be very useful IS a reserve supply in case the ammunition gives out. A quantity of snowballs should next be piled up, inside the walls, at the four corners. This done, the fort is ready for its defenders, and it only remains to equip the attacking force. The building of a fort generally uses up all the snow around it, making it necessary for the besieging party to carry their ammunition with them upon sleds made for that purpose. The construction of these sleds is very simple, the materials 26o Winter. and tools necessary consisting of a flour-barrel, a saw, a hat chet, some shingle nails and an old pine board. How to Make an Ammunition Sled. To make the sled, begin by knocking the barrel apart, being careful not to split the head-boards, as they will be needed afterward. Pick out the four best staves, as nearly alike in breadth and curve as can be found, and saw two or three of the other staves in halves. Take two of the four staves first se- lected and nail the half staves across, as shown in Fig. i66. These must be nailed upon the convex, or outside, of the staves ; this will be found impossible unless there is some- thing solid under th^ point where the nail Fig. i66. — Top of Ammunition Sled. is to be driven, otherwise the spring of the stave, when struck, will throw the nail out, and your fingers will probably receive the blow from the hammer. To avoid this, place a block, or anything that is firm, under the point where the nail is to be driven, and there will then be found no difficulty in driving the nails home. When this is done you will have the top of your sled as shown in Fig. i66 ; on this you will need a box or bed to hold the snowballs ; this you can make of two pieces of pine board and two staves, thus : Take a board about the same width as, or a little wider than, a barrel-stave ; saw off two pieces equal in length to the width of the sled ; set them upon their edges, reversing the top of the sled ; place it across the two boards and nail it on securely. Then take two staves Snowball Warfare, 261 and nail them on for side boards, and you have the top portion of your sled finished. The two staves remaining of the four first selected are for runners. Fit on first one and then the other to the staves of the top. Nail- holes will prob- ably be found near the ends of the staves where the nails were that held the bar- rel-head in* 'Pi<^. 167. — Ammunition Sled finished. through these drive nails to fasten your runners ; to do this you. must rest them upon some support, as was done before ; this will hold your sled together, but to make it stronger take four wedge-shaped blocks of wood and slide them in between the runners and the top, as shown in Fig. 167, and nail these firmly in place from above and below. If all this has been properly done, you now have made a sled which it will be almost impossible to break ; and, with a rope to pull by, one boy can haul snowballs enough for a dozen companions. How to Make the Shield. The shield is made from the head of a barrel. Lay the barrel-head upon some level surface, so that nails can be driven in without trouble. From a strip of board half inch thick and two and one-half inches wide saw off two pieces long enough to fasten the parts of the barrel-head together, as you see them in Fig. 168. Fasten these strips on firmly with shingle nails. Lay your left arm upon the shield, as shown, mark a place for the arm-strap just in front of elbow, and another for the 262 Winter, strap for the hand. From an old trunk-strap, or suitable piece of leather, cut two strips and nail them on your shield at points marked, being careful that the arm-strap is not too tight, as it should be loose enough for the arm to slip in and out with ease. This done,- you have a shield behind which you may defy an army of unprotected boys. Rules of the Game. The rules of war- far e governing a snowball battle are as follows : Two command- If the forces engaged be Fig. 168. ers, or captains, must be elected, very large, each captain may appoint one or two assistants, or lieutenants. These officers, after being elected and appointed, are to give all orders, and should be promptly obeyed by their respective commands. The captains decide, by lot, the choice of position. In choosing sides, the captain who is commander of the fort has first choice, then the two captains name a boy, alternately, until two-thirds of the boys have been chosen. The defenders of the fort then retire to their stronghold, leaving the boys un- chosen to join the attacking army, it being supposed that one- third behind fortifications are equal to two-thirds outside. Only the attacking party is allowed shields and ammuni- tion sleds. Snowball TVarfare, 263 At least thirty yards from the fort a camp must be estab- lished by the outsiders or attacking army, and stakes driven at the four corners to locate the camp. Imaginary lines from stake to stake mark its limits. Each party will have its national colors, in addition to which the attacking party has a battle-flag which it carries with it in the assault. The defenders of the fort must see to it that all damages to the fortifications are promptly repaired. Any soldier from the fort who shall be carried off within the limits of the camp becomes a prisoner of war, and cannot leave the camp until rescued by his own comrades. Any one of the attacking force pulled into the fort becomes a prisoner of war, and must remain in the fort until it is cap- tured. Prisoners of war cannot be made to fight against their own side, but they may be employed in making snowballs or re- pairing damages to fortifications. Any deserter recaptured must suffer the penalty of having {lis face washed with snow, and being made to work with the prisoners of war. When the outsiders, or attacking army, can replace the enemy's colors with their battle-flag, the fort is captured and the battle is won by the attacking party ; all fighting must then immediately cease. But if, in a sally, or, by any means, the soldiers of the fort can take the colors of the opposite party from the camp and bring them inside their fortifications, they have not only suc- cessfully defended their fort, but have defeated the attacking army ; and this ends the battle, with double honors to the brave defenders. No water-soaked or icy snow-balls are allowed. No honor- able boy uses them, and any one caught in the ungentlemanly 264 Winter, act of throwing such ** soakers " should be forever ruled out of the game. No blows are allowed to be struck by the hand, or by any- thing but the regulation snowball, and, of course, no kicking is permitted. The following sketch of a snow battle in which the author took part when a boy, will give an idea of the excitement and interest of the game : A Snow Battle. It was a year when the Indian summer had been prolonged into the winter. Christmas had come and gone and a new year begun, but not one flake of snow had fallen on the river bank or neighboring hills. Such was the condition of things one January morning in a Kentucky town upon the banks of the Ohio River, where myself and some sixty other boys were gathered in a little frame school-house. We had about made up our minds that old Jack Frost was a humbug, and winter a myth ; but when the bell tapped for recess, the first boy out gave a shout which passed from mouth to mouth until it became a universal cheer as we reached the play-grounds, for floating airily down from a dull, leaden, gray sky came hundreds of white snow-flakes ! Winter had come ! Jack Frost was no longer a humbug ! Before the bell again recalled us to our study the ground was whitened with snow, and the school divided into two opposing armies. That night was a busy one — all hands set to work manufacturing ammunition sleds and shields for the coming battle. It was my fortune to be chosen as one of the garrison of the fort. There was not a boy late next morning — in fact, when the teachers arrived to open the school, they found all the scholars upon the play-grounds, rolliag huge snowballs. All Snowball Warfare. 265 iiight the snow had continued to fall, and it was now quite deep. When we went out at noon a beautifully modelled fort of snowy whiteness stood ready for us, and from a mound in the centre floated the battle-flag. Our company took their places inside the fortifications. We could see the enemy gathered around their captain at their camp some two hundred yards distant, their ammunition sleds loaded with well-made snowballs. The lieutenant bore their battle-flag. Our teachers showed their interest by standing shivering with wet feet in the deep snow to watch the battle. At a blast from a tin horn on rushed the foe ! They separated and came in two divisions, approaching us from the left and right. *' Now, boys," cried our captain, "■ be careful not to throw a ball until they are within range." Then, calling the pluckiest among us, a flaxen-haired country boy, to his side, he whispered a word or two and pointed to the flag in the enemy's camp. The boy, who had been nicknamed " Daddy " on account of his old-looking face, slipped quietly over the rear wall of the fort, dodged behind a snow-drift and then behind a fence, and was lost to sight. For- ward marched the enemy, their battle-flag borne in advance of the party to the right. Their captain was at the head of the division to the left. Having engaged our attention on the two flanks, where we stood ready to receive them, as they neared us, by a quick and well-executed manoeuvre, rushing obliquely toward each other, the two divisions unexpectedly joined, and advanced, shield to shield, with the ammunition sleds in the rear. It was in vain we pelted them with snowballs ; on they came, encouraged by a cheer from the teachers and some spectators who by this time had gathered near the school-house. Three times had our noble captain been tumbled from his 266 ' Winter, perch upon the mound in the centre of the fort, when anothef burst of applause from the spectators announced some new de- velopment, and as we looked, we could see "Daddy" with the colors of the enemy's camp in his arms, his tow hair flying in the wind as he ran for dear life. In an instant the line of the enemy was all in confusion ; some ran to head off ** Daddy," while others in their excite- ment stood and shouted. It was our turn now, and we pelted their broken ranks with snow until they looked like animated snow-men. Another shout, and we looked around to find our captain down and the hands of one of the besieging party al- most upon our flag. It was the work of a second to pitch the intruder upon his back outside the fort. Then came the tug of war. A rush was made to capture our standard, several of our boys were pulled out of the fort and taken prisoners, and the capture of the fort seemed inevitable. Again and again a number of the enemy, among whom was their color-bearer, gained the top of our breastworks, and again and again were they tumbled off amid a shower of snowballs that forced them to retire to gain breath and clear their eyes from the snow. Once their lieutenant, with the red-bordered battle-flag, had actually succeeded in reaching the mound upon which stood our colors, when a combined attack that nearly resulted in his being made prisoner drove him from the fort to gather strength for another rush. '* Daddy" was now a prisoner, and the re- captured flag again floated over the enemy's camp, when the school-bell called us, fresh and glowing with exercise and healthful excitement, to our lessons. The battle was left unde- cided, but our fort was soon captured by a force stronger than any our companions were able to bring against it, for a warm south wind sprang up from the lowlands down the river, and our fortification quickly yielded to its insidious attack, and the snow campaign was over. Snowball Warfare, 267 How to Bind a Prisoner "Without a Cord. A gentleman who was much interested in the foregoing de- scription of snowball warfare sends a sketch of the manner he and his playmates used to bind their prisoners taken in snow battles. The captive was tak- en to a post or smooth-trunked sap- ling and compelled to put his arms and legs around it as if he were about to climb. The right leg crossed the left leg, and the toe of the right shoe was pushed be- hind the post or tree trunk in the position shown by the illustration. After taking this position the pris- oner was gently pushed down into a sitting position. It is next to im- possible for a person so fixed to arise without help. The toe of the left shoe binds the right leg ; the toe of the right shoe binds the post, and the arms can be only used to hold on by. When a friend reaches the captive he takes him by the arms and lifts him up. As soon as the prisoner assumes an upright position he can free himself without difficulty. A Prisoner of War. Company Rest. The same gentleman who sent the above ingenious de- vice also tells of some funny manoeuvres the boys used to go through. For instance, during a lull in the battle, the com- mander would call out "• Company rest ! " One man then as- sumed a stooping position; the next man sat on the right 268 Winter. knee of the first man ; a third man would sit upon the right knee of the second man and so on until a circle was formed, each fellow sitting in some other fellow's lap and yet no one sitting upon anything else. "Thus," says the correspondent, '* we all were enabled to sit down without using the damp snow for a camp stool." Advance under T\m^'' CHAPTER XXVIII. SNOW-HOUSES AND STATUARY. In '* the land of the midnight sun," the far arctic regions where Jack Frost rules supreme, where the glistening ice and thickly packed snow covers the landscape almost the whole year round, the hardy inhabitants live in huts built of frozesj Fig. 169.— Showing the construction of a Snow-House. blocks of snow. The interior of these icy dwellings are not, as might be supposed, uncomfortably cold, but, on the contrary, are quite warm and cosey. Boys who are inclined to doubt this may make the experiment for themselves. After the first good old-fashioned snow storm has covered the play-ground, roads, and house-tops, and while the merry jingle of the sleigh- 270 Winter, bells tinkles through the wintry air let them busy themselves rolling huge balls of snow after the manner described in the chapter on *' Snowball Warfare," making the foundation of •Sim Fig. 170. — A Snow-House Finished. the house exactly in the same way as that described for the snow-fort (page 258). The roof is made of boards or planks covered with snow. A barrel placed over a hole in the roof, and surrounded by .packed snow properly shaped, will make a very good chim- ney. A pane of glass can be set in the square hole made for a window ; a heavy piece of carpet can be hung from the ceiling over the doorway, so as to act as a curtain ; or if the young work-people choose to take trouble enough, they can put up a framework inside of the door- way and hang a Snow-Houses and Statuary, 271 wooden door to it by leather or canvas hinges. An old stove, or a fire-place made near the wall under the chimney, adds a finish to the house that will be found quite snug and com- fortable as long as the snow lasts. The fire inside, if the weather be cold, will not melt the walls. The pictures of the house (Figs. 169 and 170) show so well how it is constructed, and how it looks when it is done, that very little explanation is necessary. The walls are made of large snow-balls properly placed, with snow packed between them to make the surfaces tolerably even, and then the whole shaved down with a spade, outside and inside. It will be found impossible to put one tier of balls upon the top of the others by lifting them in place, but this difficult> may be overcome by sliding the balls up an in- clined plane made of a strong plank, one end of which must be placed upon the ground and the other allowed to rest upon the top of the first or foundation row of snowballs. Fig. 171. — Making the Pig. 272 Winter, Snow Statuary. The statuary may be of various kinds. It is very seldom ( mu Mmmwlmwm^ ^ ♦ Fig. 172,— a Snow Pig. that pigs are sculptured in marble or cast in bronze, and it would be well to make some of snow, so as to have statues not likely to be found else- where. An ob- long mass of snow forms the body (Fig. 171); the legs, nose, and ears are made of sticks surrounded by snOw, and a ^^ bit of rope nicely curled will make a very good tail. The various parts Making "Frenchy." Snow- Houses and Statuary. 273 can be shaped and carved according to the skiii of the young artist. A number of pigs, of different sizes, will give a lively and social air to the yard of a snow-house. Fig. 172 shows a finished pig. A statue of a Frenchman in an ulster is also rather un- common, and is not hard to make. The foundation of the body, head, and legs consists of several large snowballs, as seen in Fig. 173, and the arms are made of smaller balls stuck on two sticks, which are inserted in the body at proper angles. When the whole figure has been ' ' blocked out," as the artists ^i^- i74.-Frenchy inliis Ulster. say, it must be carved, with broad wooden knives or shingles, into the proper shape, as shown in Fig. 174. The moustache should be made of icicles, which may be stuck in the face. Arctic o w 1 s J which are very large and white, can also be made of snow, in the manner shown in the adjoining pic« Fig. 175.— Carving the OwU 274 yi^ inter. ture. These figures can be placed on snow pedestals if they are small, but if they are monster owls, like those in the illustra- tions (Figs. 175 and 176), they must be placed upon the ground. In either position, if they are fash- ioned properly, they will look very wise and respectable. When the snow is too dry to make a snowball it cannot be used to make statuary, but after a slight thaw or a fresh fall of snow it read- ily adheres upon a shght pressure, and can be formed or fashioned in almost any shape. Many curious objects and fig- ures may be carved out of solidly packed balls of snow. A lawn cov- ered with a number of large snow figures presents a most gro- tesque appearance, and is sure to attract the attention of all passers-by. With practice not a little skill may be acquired by the young sculptor, and if the statuary be made of large pro- portions, they will sometimes last for weeks after the snow \va,9 disappeared from the ground and house-tops. Fig. 176. — An Arctic Owl. CHAPTER XXIX. SLEDS, CHAIR-SLEIGHS, AND SNOW-SHOES. The construction of one of the simplest sleds is shown by Fig- 177 j it consists of nothing more nor less than three pieces of board nailed upon two barrel-staves. The barrel-stave sled possesses the advantage of being so simple in J^^^r\"'^^^2T design that a child might make one, and although this primitive sled can Fig. lyy—Barrel-stave Sled. lay claim to neither grace nor beauty, it will be found useful in a variety of ways ; it may be used for coasting, or for transport- ing loads of snow when building snow houses, forts or figures. If, instead of the long top board, a kitchen chair be fitted on, as shown in Fig. i;8, A Chair- Sleigh will be had. It is necessary to nail on four L-shaped blocks at a proper distance apart on the cross board to hold the chair in place (Fig. 178). Any boy who is for- FiG. 178.-A Chair-Sleigh. tunate enough to have a mother or sister who takes sufficient interest, and has the time to accom- pany him on his skating trips, will find a chair-sleigh quite a handy thing to possess, and when he moves from one part of 276 Winter, the ice to a distant portion of the pond or river he can skate behind the sleigh with his hands upon the back of the chair, and push his lady friend rapidly over the ice, adding much to her enjoyment as well as his own. The cumbersome wooden kitchen chair Is heavy to carry if ^he skating pond be far from home, but a Folding Chair-Sleigh may be made from a few sticks and pieces of leather for hinges* This chair is made upon the same principle as the one described .jmrndM/MW Figs. 179 and 180.— Parts of Folding Chair. in the chapter devoted to, " How to Camp Out." Figs. 179 and 180 show all the parts in detail as they would look before being joined together. The seat may be made of a piece of carpet, canvas, or any strong material, the hinges of leather. Fig. Sleds^ Chair-Sleighs^ and Snow-Shoes, 277 181 shows the chair after it has been put together. The runners consist of skates, which may be strapped on or taken off at pleasure, without injuring the skates in the least. If the chair is to be carried it can be fold- ed up. When the chair frame isliftedthe forked sticks that .support it will slip from the notches in the side bars and fall on to the runner bars • the chair ^^^' i^i.— Folding Chair-Sleigh Ready for Use. frame can then be let down and the whole frame-work will form a flat, compact mass (Fig. 182), that can be easily carried by quite a small boy. By using light sticks, regular metal hinges, and a prettily worked cloth for the seat, a very light and beau- tiful chair-sleigh can be made that, with the skates removed, will make an ornamental parlor chair for summer, and when the ice again covers the surface of the water, it will be only ne- cessary to strap on the skates, and the easy chair becomes trans- FiG. 182.— Folded Up. formed into a chair-sleigh, to be pushed about over the glit- tering ice wherever its occupant may direct or the whim of the boy who forms the motive power may take him. 278 ' IVinter, The Toboggan. This sled, familiar to all who visit Canada or the Provinces during the winter months, is more like a mammoth snow-shoe than the ordinary sled, sleigh or jumper that we are accus- tomed to see. It is suitable for the deep snow and heavy drifts of the northern countries, where the runners of a common sleigh Fig. 183.— The Toboggan. would be liable to break through the crust and bury them- selves, thus impeding, if not altogether stopping, the vehicle. The toboggan presents a broad, smooth bottom to the snow, and glides over the crust. To make one of these sleds you must procure two pieces of quarter-inch pine lumber eight or ten feet long and one foot wide. Place the two boards side by side and join them together by the means of round cross sticks ; the latter are bound to the bottom board by thongs ; the thongs pass through holes in the bottom boards on each side of the cross stick,^ and are made fast by a series of ''hammock hitches " (see page 80, and Fig. 159, E). Where the thongs pass underneath the bottom board grooves are cut deep enough to prevent the cord from projecting ; the grooves are quite necessary, for if the cords were allowed to project beyond the surface of the boards they would not only impede the progress of the toboggan, but the friction would soon wear out the thongs and the sled would come apart. On top of the cross sticks two side bars are lashed; Sleds^ Chair-Sleighs^ and Snow-Shoes, 2"]^ the front ends of the board are then curled over and held in position by two thongs made fast to the ends. Fig. 183 shows a finished toboggan drawn from one manufactured by the In- dians in Canada. Snow-Shoes or Skates. The Norwegian ski is a snow-shoe, or rather a snow- skate, nine feet long, used by the Norwegians to glide down the mountains or hillsides when the latter are covered with snow. Great fun can be had with a pair of snow-shoes made on the same principle as the Norwegian skate shoe, and it is little trouble to man- ufacture a pair -^^,,.. ^^^ from two barrel ^^^te.— '^ij;;^' staves. After select- ing a couple of ^__^^^^^^ b/c^ fl |() straight-e^ramed ^ ^ ^ Fig. 184.— Top and Side View of Barrel-stave Skate. staves, score one end of each stave with grooves cut ih the wood either with your knife or a small gouge, as shown by the lines at A, Fig. 184. Smear the end thickly with grease and hold it near a hot fire until you find that it can be bent into the form shown by the diagram (Fig. 184); bind it in position by a cord and let it remain so until the wood retains the curve imparted. Make two blocks, each one inch broad and high enough to fit under the heels of your shoes ; fasten the blocks on to the snow- skates by screws (C, Fig. 184); at a proper distance in front of the block fasten two straps securely (B, Fig. 184). By slip- ping the toes of your shoes through the straps and allowing the hollow of the foot to rest over the blocks C, C, so that the 2bo ' IVmter. heels of your shoes bear against the blocks, you can keep the shoes on your feet, and, with the aid of a stick to steer by, go sliding down the coasting hill among the sleds and jumpers, creating as much fun for the others in your first attempts as you do for yourself ; but with practice skill can be acquired in the use of snow-skates. CHAPTER XXX. HOW TO MAKE THE TOM THUMB ICE-BOAT AND LARGER CRAFT. Although a full-rigged, delicately balanced ice-yacht looks like a very complicated piece of mechanism, when it is carefully examined the framework will be found to consist of two pieces crossing each other at right angles. The top of the cross is the bowsprit, the bottom of the cross the stern, and the sides the runners. At the intersection of the cross pieces the mast is stepped. The principle is simple enough, and with some sticks, two small pieces of inch lumber, three old skates, and two boards, a real Httle **Tom Thumb ice-yacht" can be built to hold a crew of one, and to be rigged like a catboat or with a jib and mainsail. The -pio. 185. — End of cross board may be made about 3 feet long RunnerTiock'^''tSd and 6 inches wide. M^ke two runner blocks Skate, of inch lumber, and let them be each 6 inches long and 3 inches wide. With a bit and brace or a red-hot poker bore holes at proper distances apart for the straps of old-fashioned skates to pass through. One inch from each end of the cross boards fasten on the runner blocks securely with nails or screws (Fig. 185). For the centre plank use a board about 6 inches wide and 5 feet long. Nail the cross plank on to the centre plank in such a manner that a line drawn through the centre of the latter will intersect the cross board exactly at its middle. The planks must be at right angles to each other, forming a cross, the cen- 282 Winter. tre piece extending about one foot beyond the cross piece ; this end will be the bow of the ice-boat and the opposite end the stern. Bore a large hole in the stern for the rudder-post to pass through. The rudder-post may be made in a variety of forms ; a simple and convenient one is shown by Fig. i86. Another hole must be made through the point where the cen- tres of the cross and centre planks, inter sect for the mast. Fig. 187 shows a leg- of-mutton sail, but the young yachtsman may make a sail of any description that may suit his taste. By referring back to the chapter on ** How to Rig. and Sail Small Boats," he can find sev- Fig. 186.— Rudder with Tiller-ropes. eral simple kinds of sails illustrated. Fig. 188 shows the top view of an ice-boat a trifle larger than the one just describ- ed ; the braces shown in the diagram are unneces- sary on very small craft. To hold the mast more securely in larger yachts, a bench is made after the plan of Fig. 189 ; this will prevent the mast from being carried away under any ordinary circumstan- ces, and also prevent it from swaying with every puff of wind. Where a seat is made as in Fig. Fig. 187.— Leg-of-mutton Sail. How to Make the Tom Thumb Ice-Boat, 283 188, a wooden handle can be substituted for the tiller-ropes (Fig. 190). The rudder is made of a skate ; the latter is fastened by the screw at the heel and then strapped on a board nailed on to a : : : |. s K?vrj l-SKATf Pig. 188.— Top View of Ice-Boat. club, shaped like a potato-masher ; the small part of the club runs through a hole in the stern of the centre-board. A forked stick can be used for a tiller and must be fastened on to the rudder-post by running a pin or large wire through holes bored for the purpose in the rudder-post and the prongs of the forked stick. If the top of the rudder-post be squared, a tiller may be made of a stick with a square hole to fit over the end of the rudder-post, as shown in the illus- tration at the end of this chapter. Perhaps some of my readers will invent more ingenious and simple steering apparatus than the ones given here ; if A^^y^/y///M Fig. 189.— Mast Bench. 284 Winter. not, and the rudder-post and tiller seem to be a little too diffi- cult, they may be omitted, and a stationary runner block substi- tuted in their place. The boat must then be steered by the feet of the crew. To do this he should have on skates. If a Fig. 190, — Steering Apparatus. long handle be attached to the stern like the back to a sleigh- chair, the steersman with skates on can guide the boat with his feet by standing behind and holding on to the handle at the stern. With this rig, the boat can accommodate a passen- ger aboard, as the steersman does not occupy the boat itself but tends the sheets and steers while being towed behind. A How to Make the Tom Thumb Ice-Boat 285 common sled may be fixed with holes in it so that a cross board can be attached by movable pegs, and with a mast stepped in the bow it will make tolerable speed and may be steered by a boy on skates. A Tom Thumb and CreWa CHAPTER XXXI. THE WINGED SKATERS, AND HOW TO MAKE THE WINGS. Skimming over the glassy surface of an ice-bound river or pond, propelled by the wintry blast blowing against artificial wings of cloth, is but a degree removed from flying. The fric- tion of your skate runners upon the ice is so sHght that it is not difficult to imagine that you have left the earth and are soaring in mid-air. Every boy who has had any skating experience knows what hard work it is to skate against a stiff wind, and almost all who ever fastened skates to their feet must have enjoyed the luxury of sailing over the ice before the wind with a spread coat or open umbrella doing duty as a sail. For some time back people in widely separated parts of the world have made more or less successful attempts at transform- ing themselves into animated ice-yachts, and in Canada, Nor- way, and other cold countries, men with sails rigged on their backs or shoulders have *' tacked," " come about," and ''luffed" themselves in a novel and highly entertaining style, but lately, for some reason or other, this sport has been allowed to almost die out, and we are now indebted to two or three writers for reintroducing skate-saihng to the public with original sugges- tions and improvements. Mr. Charles L. Norton, editor of The American Canoeist^ was, I believe, the first to call the The Winged Skaters, 287 attention of the public in general, and the boys particularly, to this delightful sport. In an article published in the St. Nicho- las Magazine, entitled " Every Boy his Own Ice-Boat, " Mr. Norton describes a new and original device, consisting of a double sail, which is so simple in construction, and yet so strong, light, and easy to manage, that it is sure to become a favorite rig with the boys, both large and small. In another article entitled ^\ White Wings," which appeared in Harper s Weekly , the same author describes a number of queer sails used by different people. Following in the foot- steps of Mr. Norton, and adding to our information on this subject, comes T. F. Hammer with an interesting article pub- lished in the Century Magazine, in which this gentleman gives some personal experience as a winged skater and a detailed description of the Danish skate-sail. Among the many reasons given by skate-sailors why this new and highly exhilarating pastime should come into general favor are these : skate-sailing can be practised and enjoyed on ice too rough for ordinary skating, and a light fall -of snow that ruins the ice for the common skater improves it for the winged yachtsman. Salt-water ice that is too soft for one to enjoy a skate upon affords a better foothold than smooth, hard, fresh-water ice, and is preferable on that account. Wherever you can skate there you may sail, and when the skating proper is ruined, it often ^happens that the qualities of the ice are improved for saiHng. There is no record of a serious accident happening to any skate- sailor, although one may attain, literally, the speed of the wind, the higher the rate of speed the less danger there ap- pears to be, for in falling a person will strike the ice at such an angle that he is merely sent sliding over the surface, and little or no damage is done. 288 IVinter. Bat Wings. After procuring a suitable piece of cloth, spread it out upon the floor and tack it there, then spread yourself out on the cloth with your arms extended at right angles to your body, and your feet spread apart. While in that position, have some one mark on the cloth the points where the crown of your head, your wrists, and ankles come. With a chalk or pencil connect these points by lines, and, allowing for the hem, cut the sail out according to the pattern made. Turn the edges over and make a strong broad hem all around the sail, sew in straps or bands at the ankle, waist, wrists, and head. When the sail is to be used, adjust the head-band around the forehead, fasten the waist, wrist, and ankle straps, and the ship is rigged. By spreading the arms, the sail is set ; when the arms are folded the sail is furled. It would be- come exceedingly tiresome to hold the arms outstretched from the sides for any length of time without support ; to obviate this, a stick may be carried, which, when thrust behind the back, will make a support for the hands as they grasp it near the ends. The man-bat steers with his feet, using his legs and arms for sheet-lines. Skaters rigged up in this novel style pre- sent a most grotesque appearance as they flap their wings about in going through various evolutions. The Norton Rig is a double sail, and might be called a schooner rig. It is in many respects superior to the somewhat cumbersome single sails, the chief advantage being the fact that the crew can see in every direction, and thus avoid running foul of any other craft or skater. Another improvement is the double main spar which, without increasing the weight, affords a stronger sup- port for the cross pieces, or fore and main masts. The main The Winged Skaters, 289 spar may be made of spruce pine or bamboo. Cane fishing- poles are inexpensive, and can probably be readily obtained by most boys. Select two pieces, each about ten feet long, and bind the butt or large end of one to the small end of the other ; lash the other ends firmly together in like manner, so that the two poles will lay side by side firmly bound at each end. For the fore and main masts or cross yards, Mr. Norton recommends bamboo, five-eighths of an inch in diameter, but American cane will also answer for that purpose. Pick out two pieces five-eighths of an inch in diameter at the smallest ends, Fig. 191.— The Norton Rig. and let each be four feet six inches long. Near the ends of the cross yards fasten metal buttons or knobs, and fasten similar knobs near the ends of the main spar. Make a small cleat for the middle of each cross spar (A, A, A, Fig. 191) and lash it firmly on. Make the sails of the heaviest cotton sheeting, if it can be procured ; if not, take ordinary sheeting and double it, or what cloth you can procure. Mark out the sails, making allowance for the hem, and let them measure four feet across the diagonal after the hem has been turned down ; bind the sails with strong tape, and see that the corners particularly are made very strong. 290 ' IVinter, Sew to the ** clews " or corners small metal rings, or loops of strong cord, to fasten on the buttons at the ends of the spars. Attach the sails to the cross spars by slipping the rings at the clews over the buttons at each end of the spars. Spring the main spar apart and slip the cleats of the cross spar between the two pieces, so that they fit as shown by Fig. 191. Fasten the outside clews to the buttons on the ends of the main spar and bind the two inside clews tightly together with a cord as shown in the diagram, and you are all ready to give the novel device a trial. Go to the nearest sheet of ice, put on your skates, and after seeing that they are securely fas- tened, take up the sails and let yourself go before the wind, steering with your feet. After practising awhile you can learn to tack, and go through all the manoeuvres of a regular sail-boat. A most beautiful ''rig" is described by Mr. Norton, in which the main spar consists of four pieces of bamboo joined at the middle by brass fishing-rod ferrules. Brass tips are used for holding the small ends of the bamboo together at the ends of the main spar. This rig can be taken apart like a jointed fishing-rod, and, like it, put in a comparatively small case, occu- pying not much more space when the sails are rolled up than an old-fashioned cotton umbrella. Sails may be made of fancy striped cloth and brilliantly colored penants rigged to their corners ; combine this with a suitable uniform, and the winged skater will present a most striking and dashing appearance as he goes flying over the ice. The Norwegian Rig. This is a very simple sail to make, as may be seen by referring to Fig. 192. The spars can be made of the same material as the ones described for the Norton rig. The Norwegian rig requires a crew of two, and in this particular differs from all the rest. The man at the bow grasps the main spar with oJie hand The JVingect Skaters. 291 just behind the fore cross yard, and with the other hand takes hold of the main spar behind him ; the helmsman must stand at Fig. 192. — Norwegian Rig. the stern or ** aft" end of the sail, so that he can see to steer. The man in front must hold on and trust to Providence and the steersman. This is rather an awkward rig, but it has the ad- vantage of carrying two instead of one, and is consequently in favor with people who like » sociability. — '^^^^^ ^ ^, The Danish Rig consists of a mainmast and topmast. The latter can be let down when required. The diagram (Fig. 193) is made of dimensions suitable for a good- sized boy. The straps near the bottom of the topmast are for the purpose of binding the ^* sail to the back of the crew, Fig. 193.— Danish Rig. like a knapsack. The hand-sticks are only attached to the lower corners of the sails, the other ends are held by the crew, crossed 292 Winter, and used as sheet-lines are in an ordinary sail-boat. The spars may all be made of spruce, pine, cedar, bamboo, or Southern cane, and the sail of heavy cotton sheeting or strong cotton duck, of double thickness at the clews. In experimenting with this rig, it is best to choose a day when there is only a moderate wind, for the sail being bound to your body cannot be cast aside by simply letting go. The mainsail and topsail are all of one piece of cloth. The topmast is fastened to the middle of the shoulder yard by a leather strap passing around the yard. The topmast is held in place by the wind blowing it against the head of the crew. By running a little into the wind the topsail will fall back and leave only the mainsail up, or if you loosen the cross knot at the upper part of the topmast you can roll the topsail down to the reefing points and lash it Fig. 194.— English Rig. there. The steering is done with the feet of the crew. To learn to sail this or any other craft practice is needed. You might as well try to learn to swim from reading a book as to expect to become an ex- pert sailor without going to sea. The English Rig consists of a mast and two spars (Fig. 194) ; the bottom of the mast rests in straps fastened to one leg of the crew, who supports the sail by placing one arm around the mast, holding on to the top spaf with the other hand. This makes quite a pretty craft, though, The Winged Skaters. 293 like the Danish rig, the sail must be bound to the crew, which always appears objectionable from the fact that in case of acci- dent there must be more danger of breaking the spars or tear- ing the sail than there is where the whole thing can be dropped in an instant. The English rig is on something of the same, principle as The Cape Vincent Rig, which consists of a long spar and a sprit, the spar being in some cases twelve or fifteen feet in length ; one seven feet long will make a sail large enough for a boy. The sprit is fastened at the bottom securely to the sail, and fits on to the main spar with a crotch, fork, or jaw. The sail being cut in the right shape Fig. 195. —Cape Vincent Rig. and proper proportions, and made fast to the long spar and to the end of the sprit, as soon as the latter is forced into place it will stretch the sail out flat, as in Fig. 195. A boy with one of these rigs on his shoulder makes a very rakish-looking craft. The spar is carried '*as a soldier carries his rifle" — on the shoulder ; the sprit, or small cross spar, is allowed to rest against the crew's back. According to one writer, who is sup- posed to have had experience, this rakish craft will not in the least belie its looks. In speaking of it he says : "I should say that on good, smooth ice, with a twenty-five or thirty- 294 Winter. mile wind, they went at the rate of eighty or one hundred milei an hour'' This sounds Hke an exaggeration, but when we re- member that a good ice-yacht, well handled, can make a mile a minute or more, travelHng much faster than the wind itself, the statement of the enthusiastic advocate of the Cape Vincent rig does not appear so improbable. In speaking of the speed attained by regular ice-yachts, Mr. Norton says : ** There is no apparent reason why a skate-sailor should not attain a like speed. Other things being equal, he has certain advantages over the ice-yacht. His steering gear is absolutely perfect, assuming, of course, that he is a thoroughly confident skater, and it is in intimate sympathy with the trim of his sail. This nice adjustment between rudder and sails is an important point. Again, there is no rigidity about the rig. Everything sways and gives under changing conditions of wind, and ex- perience soon endows the skater with an instinct which teaches him to trim his sail so as to make every ounce of air-pressure tell to the best advantage." A Country Rig. The two forked sticks from which the framework of this sail is made must necessarily be nearly of the same dimensions After their ends have been firmly lashed together, as shown by Fig. 196, a sail made of an old piece of carpet, awn- ing, hay - cover, or any cloth that is strong enough or F^^- i96.-Country Rig. can be made strong enough by doubling, may be lashed on at the four prongs of the forks. This rig will convey a crew of The Winged Skaters, 295 two over the ice with as much speed as the more elaborate Norwegian sail (Fig. 192). The country sail may not be hand- some, but it possesses the advantage of being easily constructed and costing little or nothing, except the work of cutting and trimming the spars and sail. CHAPTER XXXII. 'ir^^yiffffw^ |i» WINTER FISHING—SPEARING AND SNARING^ FISHERMEN'S MOVABLE SHANTIES, ETC. The pleasures of fishing are naturally an J almost invariably cor nected in our minds with warm weather, particularly with Spring or the first coming of Summer, the bright freshness of bursting bud and new-opening wild blossom, and with those latter days in the Autumn over which the Summer King sheds his brightest glories. But in our northern and easterly States, when old Winter has spread his mantle of frost and snow over the face of Nature, and hermetically sealed all the lakes and ponds under covers of ice, as an agreeable addition to the fun of skating, hardy, red-cheeked I boys cut round holes in the thick ice, and ^ through them rig their lines for pickerel- FiG. 197.— Flip-Up Set. fishing. A very simple but ingenious con- trivance enables a single fisherman to attend to quite a number of lines if the holes be all made within sight of the fisherman, Winter Fishing, Etc. 297 the fish itself will give the signal for the particular line that requires attention. The construction of this automatic fishing-tackle is so simple, that it may be made in a few moments by any one. The preceding illustration shows how- it is arranged (Fig. 197). At the end of a light rod a foot or two in length is fastened a small signal flag ; a piece of any bright- colored cloth answers the purpose. This rod is bound with strong string at right angles to a second stick, which is placed across the hole, lying some inches, upon the ice at either side ; the flag also rests on the ice, leaving a short piece of the flag-rod pro- fig. 198.— The Signal Flying. jecting over the cross stick ; to this short end the line and hook are fastened. The hook is baited with a live minnow or other suitable bait and lowered through the hole. The tackle is then in readiness for the capture of a pickerel. When the fish is hooked his struggles keep the flag flying (Fig. 198). Smelt Fishing and the Smelt Fisher's House. From about December 20th until the middle or latter part of February the smelt fishing season is in its height along the coast of Maine. The fish are caught through holes in the ice. In the vicinity of Belfast clam worms are used for bait ; the worms are found in the clam flats. Notwithstanding the reputation for original inventions pos- sessed by the inhabitants of the Eastern States, the ** Down East " smelt fishermen of Maine have for years, while fishing through the ice, exposed themselves to the piercing winter winds, 298 ' Winter, apparently without once thinking of providing any other shelter than their heavy overcoats and perhaps a rude barricade of ice blocks and evergreen boughs. There is no.telHng how long this state of things might have continued, but during the winter of 1877-78* a single fisherman, more enterprising than his com- rades, appeared upon the fishing grounds with a small canvas tent, inside of which he at once proceeded to make himself comfortable, and at the same time excite the envy of the un- protected, shivering fishermen scattered over the ice. The lat- ter were not long in taking the hint, and the next season found the ice dotted all over with the little canvas houses of the fish- ermen. During the best of the season the smelt fishing grounds now have the appearance of Indian villages ; the blue smoke curls up from the peaked roofed lodges and floats away on the frosty air, while the figures of men and boys passing to and fro on different errands might at a distance be easily mistaken for the aboriginal red Americans at their winter camp. The framework of a smelt fisher's house consists of a light wooden frame about six feet square, with a sharp roof. After the frame is firmly fastened together it is put upon runners, furnished with a bench for the fisherman to sit upon, a stove to keep him warm, and a covering of light canvas to keep out the cold. The canvas is a better protection against sleet and frost if it has been covered with a coat of paint. Sometimes the houses are made large enough to accommodate more than one fisher- man. Snugly ensconced beside a warm stove, with pipe in mouth, the old veterans spin their yarns, and, oblivious to the raging northwest winds, watch their lines, which are attached to a rack overhead and hang down, passing through a hole in the ice; The bait dangles about eight or ten feet under the water. When a fish bites, the motion of the line apprizes the fisherman of the fact, and he pulls it out, unhooks the fish and again drops * According to the Belfast (Me.) Journal. Winter Fishings Etc. 299 his line. In this manner one man will succeed in catching from ten to fifteen pounds in a day. A gentleman who seems to be posted upon the subject of smelt fishing sends me the following device, which ought to have been included in the chapter on odd modes of fishing. My correspondent says : '' During the fall months the smelt run in large schools up the creeks and streams emptying into the ocean, and are caught with seines or nets by professional fishermen f V 1- T h ^^^' ^99*— '^^^ Umbrella Smelt Tackle. sure, no true sportsman could make use of such means for cap- turing game ; still, as it is necessary to take these small fish in large numbers to make a respectable mess, some ingenious sportsman has evolved a fishing-tackle with which one can legitimately do wholesale fishing. To a line on an ordinary pole is attached an apparatus resembUng an umbrella-frame without the handle ; from the point of each bow hangs a line and hook (Fig. 199) ; in this way six or eight smelt may be taken in the time it would require to catch one with a single line." For boys who live inland where smelt fishing is out of the question, there are other fish whose gamy nature will im- part more fun and excitement to their capture. Long rods would be out of place within the narrow limits of a little cloth- covered fishing box ; but hand lines or short rod and reel may be used. When a short rod is used it is only for the pur- pose of facilitating the use of the reel, and the rod should not be over two and one-half feet long. Fish may also be snared or speared through holes in the ice by boys concealed in little 300 JVinter. wooden shanties built for the purpose. This sport is much in vogue on some of the small lakes in the Northwest. The Spearsman's Shanty. The great drawback to spearing fish through holes in the ice, is the inability of the spearsman to see objects under water, and to keep the cold winds from chilling him through and through as he stands almost motionless watching for his game ; Fig. 2CX). — Framework for Spearman's Shanty.