One of the most pleasing toys for children, which may be counted among those made by boys themselves, is this little coop of chickens. Make a box like Fig. 1, leaving off the top and back boards until the works are placed within it. The little bars which separate the chickens are thin strips of wood. In Fig. 2, a represents one of the chickens, which is also made of thin wood and painted yellow; a hole is made at b, to allow the passage of a strong stiff wire, upon which the chickens turn, and by which they are also kept in place. At the end, c, of each, a strong piece of linen thread is tied through a small hole bored for the purpose, and each line is caught to a separate nail, driven in the bottom of the box, just below the chicken, in such a manner that when it is drawn tightly in place it will just touch the roller d. Fig. 1 shows just where each chicken is placed, and how far their heads protrude through the bars. The ends of the wire, b, which holds them in place, can be fastened on one side by simply pushing one end into a hole bored partly through the wood to receive it; the other should be slipped into a groove made for it, and fastened in place by a wedge nailed just above it when in position. Fig. 3 shows the roller in full, and the little blocks or cams which are placed along its surface. These little cams are made of wood, not more than three-eighths of an inch thick, and are placed at such distances from each other along the roller that the middle point of each shall come opposite one of the threads.
Between these blocks, but so situated that they will not come in contact with any one of the threads, are little quills, driven into tiny gashes made in the roller. These quills are an inch long, and should all be of the same length. One end of the roller is fitted with a crank, while the other is fastened in place by a wooden pin or long nail. Below this, at either end of the box, is a curved bridge, e, into which grooves are cut and slender brass wires drawn very tightly, as seen in a violin. The curve made by the wires, however, is unlike that in the above-named instrument, being concave instead of convex. Now it will be seen that by placing the roller in such a position that the quills will strike the wires with some force as the wheel revolves, a constant tinkling sound like that of a toy piano is the result; and at the same time, as the little blocks come in contact with the strings, they push the thread backward, and in so doing lower the point c, and consequently raise the head of the chicken. The top of the extension in front of the bars is made of thin board and painted green, while a slight sprinkling of yellow over its surface represents the meal the chickens are supposed to be eating. The remainder of the box may be painted to suit the fancy of the maker.
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CAPTAIN S.’S PEG PUZZLE.
One bright summer morning, which seems but a short while ago, unless I stop and count the years that have passed since then, we children were invited to take a sail across the bay with one of the kind-hearted old captains who owned a trim little cat-boat, which her owner was wont to boast would beat any other craft of her length in the harbor. But there was not much chance of beating anything on the morning of which I write, for, although a light northerly breeze was stirring when we intended to start, the girls of our party took so much time in which to get ready, that by the time we were fairly under way we were scarcely able to fill our sail. However, we managed to make some little headway, and in the course of two hours reached the beautiful rocky point covered with its grove of fine old trees, which, but for the delay in starting, would have been reached much earlier in the day. This point was quite a favorite spot for excursionists, and was hailed with delight by most of our party. We boys, however, cared more for the little Sea Dog, and the companionship of old Captain S., than for the walks on shore. So, claiming our full share of the good things packed in the baskets stowed away in the cabin, we decided to remain on board and share our picnic with the captain on the bay.
After all were on shore, and the hampers had been taken to the grove, we hoisted the sail and made for deeper water; but there was no wind, and we had to content ourselves with looking at the glassy surface around us, and feeling that we were in a boat away from shore, even if not in rapid motion. We ate our lunch as we listened to a delightful story told by the captain, of how his ship was once chased by a pirate, and only escaped through the timely interposition of a snow-storm. We next tried our hands at the oars and rowed some distance further from the land. Finally, as we were about to return for the others of our party on shore, a small piece of wood Fred found on the cabin floor changed the current of our thoughts, and we saw for the first time the little device I am about to describe. This bit of wood which he had picked up was a thin strip of a cigar-box cover. In one end was a circular hole about an inch in diameter, in the middle was a square hole of the same diameter, and at the extreme end was still another opening, in the form of an isosceles triangle, the perpendicular being of the same length as the side of the square.
