Three small paper birds about the size of that shown at the right hand side of the illustration should be cut out of tissue paper and each one attached to a piece of cotton thread about six inches long. The threads are then tied to one end of a T-shaped frame bent out of copper wire and supported on a bottle.
If the wire frame is then connected to one of the discharge rods and the hand held to the other while the machine is set in operation, the birds will rise in the air and fly around as far as the threads will let them.
[Illustration: FIG. 21.—The Electric Parasol. The upper right-hand corner shows a piece of Tissue Paper cut into Strips. (1) Is the apparatus before the Tissue Paper is fastened to the Cork. (2) Shows the completed "Parasol" and (3), the Parasol when connected to the machine and the latter is set in operation.]
*Electric Acrobats.* The apparatus shown in Figure 23 consists of a circular metal plate about four inches in diameter suspended by a wire from a wire "T" stuck in a cork in a bottle. Another circular metal plate of the same size is laid on the table below the other. The distance between the two plates should be about one inch or an inch and one-half.
Cut three or four little figures, the same size as that shown in the upper right hand part of the illustration, out of tissue paper and lay them on the bottom plate.
[Illustration: FIG. 22.—Electric Birds. The Birds are made of Tissue Paper and should be about the size and shape shown in the lower right-hand corner of the illustration above.]
The circular metal plates may be made of sheet tin, copper, brass or galvanized iron. Even cardboard, provided that it is covered with tinfoil, will serve.
The upper plate should be connected to one discharge rod on the static machine and the lower plate to the other. Then as soon as the machine is set in operation the little paper figures will begin to dance up and down, stand on their heads, hang by one foot or hand, turn somersaults and perform all sorts of stunts.
*Gunpowder* may be ignited by the spark from a Leyden jar. A miniature mortar may be made from a piece of broom handle about an inch and one-half in diameter with a hole one inch deep in one end as shown by C Figure 24. The mortar should be fastened to a small wooden base which will support it in an inclined position as in the illustration.
[Illustration: FIG. 23.—Electric Acrobats. The Acrobats are made of paper. The little figure in the upper right-hand part of the illustration is the proper size.]